Not exactly a fan...
Diabetes
"Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are conditions in which the body lacks a normal supply of insulin to remove glucose from the bloodstream. Type 1 is generally hereditary, and accounts for about 10% of cases. Type 2 is environmental, accounts for the remaining 90% of cases, and is becoming more prevalent in children and in developing countries. Obesity is the leading environmental cause. Type 2 diabetes involves a gradual decline in the way insulin responds to changes in blood sugar (glucose). Although diabetes has been successfully treated for years by the introduction of insulin into the body via syringes and pumps, there is now a race among pharma and biotech companies to find a more efficacious drug that can be successfully administered in pill form or via an inhaler. Pills and inhalers are more popular, as they provide a more convenient and less painful alternative of delivering insulin or extracting blood samples, versus the pinprick method.
Topping the list is a new Type 2 drug called TAK-875, a pill made by Takeda Pharma. This medicine improves a patient’s blood sugar control without increasing the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). It has proven to be safer than Avandia, which was withdrawn from U.S. markets due to heart risks. Too, the incidence of low blood sugar was only 2%, compared to more traditional Glimipiride, which was 19%. Next is Januvia, made by Merck, and the first in a new class of drugs called DPP-4 inhibitors. Following this is Bydureon, made by Amylin (AMLN), which is used in combination with the more conventional Metformin for tackling Type 2 diabetes. The last in the category of new medications is Symlin (also made by Amylin). This is given to treat Types 1 and 2. It is a synthetic form of a hormone produced by the pancreas. All told, there are now 12 individual oral medications available in the U.S to help 26 million (300 million worldwide) diabetics control Types 1 or 2, either on their own, or in combination with Metformin, Glimipiride, insulin, and/or each other.
Various forms of inhaled insulin have been developed over the years, the most well known of which is probably Exubera, made by Pfizer (PFE - Free Pfizer Stock Report) in collaboration with Nektar (NKTR). The problem with administering insulin in this format is that it is difficult to accurately deliver the prescribed amount, and it is also inappropriate for patients who are also asthmatics. Other companies that have developed or are continuing to develop inhaleable insulin devices are Alkermes (ALKS), working with Eli Lilly (LLY), MannKind (MNKD), and Aradigm in collaboration with Novo Nordisk (NVO). On the whole, we would be wary of investing in any company solely for its inhaleable device."
http://www.valueline.com/Stocks/Commentaries/Taking_Advantage_of_a_Drug_Industry_Trend.aspx
