Cymbalta(R) Significantly Reduced Diabetic Neuropathic Pain in Second Placebo-controlled Study

Cymbalta(R) Significantly Reduced Diabetic Neuropathic Pain in
Second Placebo-controlled Study 


SAN FRANCISCO, April 28  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The investigational drug
Cymbalta(R) (duloxetine hydrochloride), a selective serotonin norepinephrine
reuptake inhibitor, significantly reduced pain associated with diabetic
neuropathy, with improvement seen as early as one week, according to a new
study presented today at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting.

Because serotonin and norepinephrine are involved in mood regulation as well as
pain modulation, studies in painful diabetic neuropathy, in which patients with
depression or other mood disorders were excluded, were conducted to test the
hypothesis that Cymbalta may demonstrate an independent analgesic effect.  The
data presented today confirms a previous study in which Cymbalta, at doses of
60 mg once a day or 120 mg (60 mg twice daily) significantly reduced diabetic
neuropathic pain versus placebo.

In previous depression-focused studies, patients treated with Cymbalta
experienced significant improvement on both the emotional and painful physical
symptoms of depression, compared with patients who received sugar pills.

"More than 18 million Americans have diabetes, which puts them at increased
risk for diabetic neuropathy, an often painful condition for which there is no
approved treatment," said J. F. Wernicke, Ph.D., M.D., Medical Advisor, Lilly
Research Laboratories.  "In this study, Cymbalta provided relief quickly for
many patients living with painful symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.  Having
multiple studies demonstrating clinically significant response in a pure pain
population further highlights the positive impact of Cymbalta on these
important symptoms."

Serotonin and norepinephrine are believed to mediate pain perception in spinal
cord pathways.  These neurotransmitters also are believed to mediate symptoms
of depression and stress urinary incontinence, two other conditions for which
Cymbalta is being studied.

Study highlights include:

*  Cymbalta patients reported significant reductions in pain, compared with
those taking placebo, after one week of active therapy (p