An analysis of FDA-approved drugs for metabolic diseases

Metabolic diseases encompass a constellation of maladies including obesity and diabetes that are among the fastest growing epidemics throughout the world. An analysis of new molecular entities (NMEs) targeting metabolic diseases reveals the rate of approval for new drugs increased in the mid-1990s and now stands at approximately two per year. The increase is largely attributed to a recent emphasis on treatments for inborn errors of metabolism. In particular, biotechnology companies have focused on rare genetic disorders, which are often treated with biologic-based NMEs that target novel pathways and qualify for orphan drug status. By contrast, NME development by pharmaceutical companies tended toward conventional small molecular targeting of nongenetic disorders such as diabetes.