Pfizer and Aventis Say They Still Back Exubera

Pfizer (PFE Quote) and Aventis (AVE Quote) said Monday that they remain committed to seeking regulatory approval for an inhaled form of insulin, known as Exubera, but the drugmakers did not say when an approval application would be filed with the Food and Drug Administration.

The joint statement issued today regarding Exubera doesn't add much to what was said in December. Pfizer and Aventis are conducting long-term safety studies of the product in people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Discussions with the FDA are also still ongoing.

Exubera is being developed with drug-delivery technology from the biotech firm Inhale Therapeutics, although Pfizer and Aventis control the product's future. ...