Drugmakers Pitch Meds In The Works For Diabetes

LINDA A. JOHNSON

TRENTON, New Jersey (AP) — Major pharmaceutical companies are fighting harder over the millions of patients with diabetes, a lucrative area because the pool of customers keeps growing with the obesity epidemic — and they will need daily drugs or insulin for life.

As the American Diabetes Association conference opened Friday, companies began presenting research on experimental drugs, including a few in a new class, and data on existing drugs for which they hope to capture many more customers.

Meanwhile, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. has jumped into the diabetes field and will be reporting on two experimental drugs and its diabetes pipeline. ...