Amylin Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company based in San Diego, California, was founded in 1987. The company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing drugs for metabolic diseases, primarily diabetes. It pioneered therapeutic approaches using naturally occurring hormones. This positioned Amylin as a notable entity in diabetes care, addressing unmet patient needs through novel biological mechanisms.
The Science Behind Amylin’s Drugs
Amylin Pharmaceuticals’ research focused on understanding specific hormones in glucose regulation. Natural amylin, a peptide, is co-secreted with insulin from pancreatic beta cells after food intake. Amylin helps control blood sugar by slowing stomach emptying, moderating glucose absorption. It also suppresses glucagon, a hormone that increases blood sugar by stimulating liver glucose production. Amylin also promotes fullness, helping regulate appetite.
Another hormone studied was glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin produced in the intestines after meals. GLP-1 stimulates insulin release from the pancreas only when blood sugar is high. It also inhibits glucagon secretion, reducing liver glucose output. GLP-1 also slows stomach emptying and promotes satiety, improving post-meal glucose control and potentially reducing food consumption. These hormonal pathways formed the scientific basis for Amylin’s therapeutic developments.
Key Pharmaceutical Developments
Amylin Pharmaceuticals developed therapeutic agents based on its understanding of these hormones. One product was Symlin (pramlintide), a synthetic amylin analog. Approved in 2005, pramlintide was an adjunctive treatment for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients using mealtime insulin who struggled with glucose control. It mimics natural amylin by slowing stomach emptying, preventing post-meal glucagon surges, and promoting satiety, reducing post-meal blood glucose spikes.
The company also introduced Byetta (exenatide) and Bydureon (exenatide extended-release). These GLP-1 receptor agonists activate the GLP-1 receptor to produce similar effects as the natural hormone. Exenatide, derived from Gila monster venom, was licensed by Amylin in 1996 due to its longer half-life than human GLP-1. These drugs enhance glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppress glucagon release, and slow stomach emptying, primarily for Type 2 diabetes management.
Corporate History and Acquisition
Amylin Pharmaceuticals began in 1987, co-founded by Howard E. Greene Jr., with an initial public offering in 1992. The company’s early years were characterized by extensive research into the amylin hormone and the development of pramlintide. A partnership with Johnson & Johnson in 1995 focused on pramlintide, though this collaboration concluded in 1998. Amylin later entered a significant collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company in 2002 to develop exenatide, a partnership that facilitated the commercialization of Byetta.
In 2012, Bristol Myers Squibb acquired Amylin Pharmaceuticals for approximately $5.3 billion. As part of this acquisition, AstraZeneca made a payment of about $3.4 billion to integrate Amylin’s diabetes portfolio into an existing alliance between Bristol Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca. This arrangement meant that profits and losses from the collaboration would be shared equally. In December 2013, AstraZeneca acquired Bristol Myers Squibb’s share of the diabetes joint venture, gaining sole ownership of all former Amylin products and assets, including manufacturing facilities.
Legacy in Diabetes Treatment
Amylin Pharmaceuticals left an enduring mark on the landscape of diabetes treatment by pioneering the development of non-insulin injectable therapies. The company’s focus on hormones beyond insulin, specifically amylin and GLP-1, led to the creation of entirely new classes of drugs. These innovations provided clinicians and patients with additional options for managing blood sugar levels, particularly for post-meal glucose control and weight management, addressing aspects of diabetes that insulin alone could not fully address.
The drugs initially developed by Amylin, such as pramlintide and exenatide, introduced novel mechanisms of action that are now widely recognized and utilized in diabetes care. While Amylin Pharmaceuticals no longer operates as an independent entity, its scientific contributions and the therapeutic agents it brought to market continue to benefit patients globally. The legacy of Amylin Pharmaceuticals persists through the ongoing use and further development of amylin analogs and GLP-1 receptor agonists, which have become established components in comprehensive diabetes management strategies.