Annual Report 2003 Aventis - Sanofi

Medical Background
Diabetes mellitus is a condition where the body
does not produce, or properly use insulin, the hormone
needed to convert glucose (sugar) into energy.
In a healthy, non-diabetic person, insulin acts to
convert glucose (created when sweet and starchy
foods are digested) into the energy needed to perform
daily tasks. People with diabetes do not have
enough insulin and/or are insulin-resistant and are
thus unable to make this necessary conversion into
energy. They therefore have high levels of unused
glucose in their system, which is referred to as high
blood glucose or hyperglycemia.
In type 1 diabetes there is a complete defi ciency
in insulin production and secretion. Impaired insulin
secretion occurs when a person’s immune system
attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas.
Therefore, type 1 diabetes is called an autoimmune
disease. People with type 2 diabetes have a condition
referred to as relative insulin defi ciency. While the pancreas
is making insulin, there is not enough insulin
being produced to adequately control glucose levels.
Aventis approaches to treat diabetes
Type I
Type II
Food
Glucose
Immunomodulator:
DiaPep277
Pancreas
Pancreas
Sulphonylurea:
Amaryl
Beta cell Beta cell
destroyed
Lipid
cell
GLP-1 Receptor
agonist:
AVE-0010
Insulins:
Lantus
Apidra
Exubera
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