April 25, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Sanofi on Aug. 1 confirmed that the French drug maker will conduct a late-stage clinical study on a diabetes treatment candidate developed by Korea’s Hanmi Pharmaceutical during the fourth quarter this year.

The company said it will embark on phase 3 clinical trials of efpeglenatide, a long-acting glucagoin-like peptide-1 agonists, between September and December 2017, in its quarterly earnings report released on July 31. 

“We believe efpeglenatide has the potential to provide best-in-class efficacy and safety and look forward to further exploring this compound in upcoming phase 3 trials,” a Sanofi official told The Investor via email.

Efpeglenatide is a potential therapy designed to promote the body’s natural production of insulin for patients with diabetes type 2.

The announcement clears uncertainties surrounding Hanmi’s new drug development. Industry watchers have been casting concerns over its technology to migrate the drug making process from the lab-scale to the pilot plant-scale or commercial scale.

Citing Hanmi’s manufacturing issues, Sanofi delayed the large-scale clinical trials of the diabetes treatment which was originally planned to be conducted in 2016.

In November 2015, Hanmi licensed out a set of three new long-lasting diabetes treatments, collectively known as the “Quantum Project,” to Sanofi. They include efpeglenatide, a week-lasting insulin and a combination of efpeglenatide and LAPS-insulin115. Of the three licensed drugs, Sanofi returned the rights to the insulin combination drug.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)