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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis will be one of 12 sites for a clinical trial
of a potentially groundbreaking treatment for autism. New York-based Curemark LLC has developed an ingestible powder designed
to help patients digest protein. The drug is the product of research by Curemark founder Dr. Joan Fallon, who found that many
autistic children lack enzymes to digest protein, meaning their bodies cannot produce the amino acids crucial in brain development.
If it proves effective against autism, the powder, called CA-MT, would be the first treatment to reverse the underlying causes
of autism.
Hopes rose Tuesday that Eli Lilly and Co. and its partner Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc.
will win approval of their new version of diabetes treatment Byetta. That’s because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
on Monday approved a Byetta rival, Victoza, developed by Denmark-based Novo Nordisk A/S. Victoza is a once-daily shot, compared
with the twice-daily Byetta. But Indianapolis-based Lilly and San Diego-based Amylin have asked the FDA to approve a once-weekly
version of Byetta, which would be the most convenient for patients. Analysts expect sales of once-weekly Byetta to reach as
high as $2 billion by 2015, which would be split by Lilly and Amylin. Sales of twice-daily Byetta last year were on pace to
reach about $790 million. What’s been holding up Victoza and the once-weekly Byetta have been regulator concerns about
patients developing inflammation of the pancreas while taking the drugs. The FDA required Victoza’s label to warn about
pancreatitis as well as use in patients at risk for a rare thyroid cancer. Those warnings were milder than many analysts had
feared. One analyst expects the FDA to make a decision on once-weekly Byetta by March 5.
Warsaw-based Symmetry
Medical Inc. will manufacture implants, instruments and cases for OrthoPediatrics Corp., another
Warsaw-based company that makes orthopedic implants for children. Symmetry expects to bring in $3 million in revenue from
the deal this year. Symmetry also will receive fees for inventory management, warehousing and supply-chain management services.
The agreement will last for five years.
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