Lilly Announces Diabetes Research Partnership with University of Surrey

INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 22, 2014 /CNW/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced a five-year research partnership with the University of Surrey to study health outcomes, focusing on the effects of treatment in people with type 2 diabetes, which affects about 95 percent of those with the disease.

Using real-world evidence (routine data gathered from patients undergoing diabetes treatments),  Lilly and the University of Surrey will focus on developing answers to commonly asked clinical questions about the continuum of diabetes care, such as the role and timing of injectable therapy, factors impacting adherence to prescribed medicines and the pattern and rationale of therapy following diagnosis.

"Living with diabetes is a long and involved journey for patients and their caregivers," said Brad Curtis, Ph.D., principal research scientist, Lilly Diabetes medical affairs. "It's important for clinicians to understand each step of that journey so patients might have a better chance to reach optimal outcomes. We are honored to collaborate with the University of Surrey on this important project."

"Diabetes is a complex condition to manage, requiring each patient to be treated and supported in a variety of ways," said Professor Simon de Lusignan of the University of Surrey. "Our research uses routine data to help busy clinicians incorporate innovation into routine practice, focusing on those diseases that pose highest risk.  By understanding how effectively individual care plans work we can learn more about how to improve and enhance diabetes care broadly. Our aim is to ensure that those suffering with the disease receive treatments that allow them to continue living their lives in the fullest sense, with effective support in place."

Initially the Lilly-Surrey collaboration will focus on some key questions:

• Adherence to therapy: Why do some people follow their diabetes treatment plan while others do not? What role do healthcare providers play in improving adherence rates? What are the barriers and the long-term effects for those who do not adhere to their treatment?
• Triggers for initiation of injectable therapy: People with type 2 diabetes often transition to different therapies in an effort to gain greater control of the disease. These transitions could include moving from an oral treatment to an injectable medicine, such as a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1) or insulin. Which treatment would be best? What factors influence a health-care professional's decision in choosing an injectable option? What factors influence the patient's acceptance of that decision?
• Understanding perspectives of both the patient and healthcare professional: How can health-care providers gain a better understanding of the patient's journey? What are the key questions they and the patient can ask each other? Can real-world perspectives increase understanding of why some patients accept transition from orals to injectables to insulin, while others are less enthusiastic?

Diabetes remains one of society's most prevalent diseases. More than 387 million people worldwide have type 1 and type 2 diabetes.¹ Type 2 diabetes is the most common, accounting for an estimated 90 to 95 percent of all diabetes cases. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body either does not properly produce, or use, the hormone insulin. ¹

About the University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is one of the UK's leading professional, scientific and technological universities with a world class research profile and a reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Ground-breaking research at the University is bringing direct benefit to all spheres of life – helping industry to maintain its competitive edge and creating improvements in the areas of health, medicine, space science, the environment, communications, defense and social policy. Programs in science and technology have gained widespread recognition and it also boasts flourishing programs in dance and music, social sciences, management and languages and law.

About Lilly Diabetes
Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world's first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a broad and growing product portfolio and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines to support programs and more—we strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com.

About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com, @LillyHealth on Twitter and newsroom.lilly.com/social-channels. P-LLY

^1.         International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 6th edn. Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation, 2013. http://www.idf.org/diabetesatlas .

Refer to:      Candace Johnson, [phone], [email protected] 
                    Amy Sutton, [phone], [email protected]

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