Eli Lilly cancels basal insulin peglispro (BIL)programme for types 1 & 2 diabetes.

Eli Lilly and Company announced that it will cease development of basal insulin peglispro (BIL), a potential treatment for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, in order to focus research and development efforts on other assets in its portfolio and pipeline. In February 2015, Lilly announced it was delaying regulatory submission in order to better understand and characterize the potential effects, if any, of changes in liver fat observed with BIL treatment compared with insulin glargine treatment in the Phase III IMAGINE trials. No drug-induced liver impairment or Hy's Law cases were observed in the IMAGINE clinical development program of more than 6,000 patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes treated for up to 18 months (approximately 3,900 patients treated with BIL).

Over the past several months, Lilly engaged with regulatory authorities and other external experts to assess potential development plans for BIL that could provide additional clarity on the liver fat data observed in the IMAGINE trials. The decision to stop the program was informed by these conversations - and not by any new safety signals - and was ultimately driven by the decision to focus research and development efforts on other potential treatments.