Sanofi-Aventis reports positive blood sugar control for experimental diabetes drug

Sanofi reports positive results with diabetes drug

NEW YORK — Sanofi-Aventis said Monday that a study of its experimental diabetes drug showed better blood sugar control than placebo.

The study included 361 patients with type 2 diabetes who randomly received either lixisenatide, the company’s diabetes injectable, or a sham treatment. Lixisenatide is part of the new GLP-1 class of diabetes drugs, which also includes Byetta, marketed by Eli Lilly & Co. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. The drugs help control blood sugar by increasing insulin production, slowing the body’s absorption of sugar.

Safety concerns have hung over some drugs within the GLP-1 class, including Novo Nordisk’s Victoza, which was approved with a warning about the risk for thyroid cancer and the requirement of a risk-mitigation strategy.

Sanofi studied its drug for three months, with patients taking a daily dose of lixisenatide.

Side effects with the drug were mild, and included nausea, the company said.

Shares of Sanofi-Aventis rose 44 cents to $33.21.

(This version CORRECTS that the drug is an injectable.)