The maker of BYETTA® (exenatide) injection, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, is also the maker of SYMLIN® (pramlintide acetate) injection, approved by the FDA in March for insulin-using type 1 and type 2 diabetics.

Unlike Byetta® (an incretin mimetic) which can be used alone when other type 2 diabetes drugs do not work, SYMLIN® is the first and only amylin mimetic for use in patients with diabetes treated with mealtime insulin - a synthetic analog of human amylin (a naturally occurring hormone that is made in the beta cells of the pancreas, the same cells that make insulin).

Now, the FDA has approved the SymlinPen™ 120 and the SymlinPen™ 60 pen-injector devices for administering SYMLIN® (pramlintide acetate) injection - new pre-filled pen-injector devices feature simple, fixed dosing to improve mealtime glucose control.

SymlinPen™ 60 features fixed dosing to deliver 15, 30, 45, or 60 micrograms per dose. SymlinPen™ 120 features fixed dosing to deliver 60 or 120 micrograms per dose. Both pen-injector devices can be conveniently stored at room temperature not to exceed 86 degrees F (30 degrees C) after first use.

These Symlin pens will be available to diabetes patients in December 2007.

Find more details from CNN Money and Amylin Pharmaceuticals.

[Photo Credit: answers.com]