Lilly set to acquire Alnara Pharmaceuticals

Lilly is to acquire US-based biotech firm Alnara and will take hold of its lead product Liprotamase for pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.

Liprotamase is currently under FDA review and is a non-porcine pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). This insufficiency can have multiple causes that include cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatectomy and other conditions.

Bryce Carmine, executive VP of Lilly and president of Lilly BioMedicines, said: "The acquisition of Alnara provides Lilly with a promising entry into enzyme replacement therapy - an area with unmet medical needs as well as opportunities for novel compounds that give patients additional treatment options.

"Alnara has been very successful in the development of Liprotamase - as indicated by its recent submission to the FDA - and we look forward to partnering with Alnara's experts during the regulatory review process."

Patients with pancreatic insufficiency cannot properly digest and absorb fat, protein, and carbohydrates, preventing adequate nutrient absorption.

PERT treatment involves the administration of three pancreatic enzymes with the aim of encouraging greater pancreatic efficiency.

One of the more recent treatments in development for PERT was Altus Therapeutics’ Trizytec, but development was halted after disappointing phase III results.

Results from an international, phase III, open-label, long-term safety study of Liprotamase presented at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC) in October last year established its initial safety and nutritional benefits.

Alexey Margolin, chief executive of Alnara, said: "Our agreement with Lilly is an important development as we move Liprotamase through FDA regulatory review.

“Lilly's deep expertise in the US pharmaceutical business, including regulatory affairs and the development of innovative compounds that address unmet medical needs, created a natural fit and could allow for opportunities in markets beyond cystic fibrosis.”

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Ben Adams