Bespak, in conjunction with Nektar Therapeutics, has developed the manufacturing process for Exubera's inhalation device which it will manufacture at its purpose designed facility in Milton Keynes
Bespak says it is pleased to note that Pfizer has issued an announcement that the European Commission has approved Exubera (inhaled human insulin) for the treatment of adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Exubera is the first non-injectable, inhalable form of insulin to be approved since the discovery of insulin in the 1920s, and represents a major advance in diabetes treatment.
According to the World Health Organisation, diabetes has reached epidemic proportions and affects approximately 48 million people in Europe alone.
People with diabetes often suffer from debilitating complications due to uncontrolled blood sugar levels, including heart disease, amputation, blindness and kidney failure.
The direct healthcare costs associated with diabetes are estimated to be around $286 billion worldwide, with the majority of these costs linked to treating diabetes-related complications.
Mark Throdahl, Bespak's chief executive, said: "We are delighted that Exubera, a drug with the potential to achieve blockbuster sales, has been approved in Europe and we look forward to the start of commercial production of the drug's delivery device".
Hank McKinnell, Pfizer chairman and chief executive officer, said: "Exubera is a major, first-of-its-kind, medical breakthrough that marks another critical step forward in the treatment of diabetes, a disease that has taken an enormous human and economic toll worldwide."
