Agency panel recommends Exubera for diabetes

An expert panel at the FDA has voted to back Pfizer's inhaled insulin treatment Exubera for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The 7-2 vote in favor marks a major step in the development of inhaled insulin. While the agency is not bound by the vote, it typically follows the recommendations of its experts. The panel was split on whether the drug should be used on patients who smoke, are exposed to smoke or have lung disease. The panel of endocrinologists made their recommendation despite concerns about the long-term effects of the drug. Pfizer has promised to devise an aggressive program of checking up on patients to identify any potential safety issues that may emerge.

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ALSO: Analysts immediately translated the panel's vote as bad news for Novo Nordisk, a big supplier of diabetes therapies. The drug company has its own inhaled insulin product in the pipeline. Report