Bangalore, Feb 20 (UNI) India's largest Insulin producer, Biocon Limited, today announced that its licensing partner, Bentley Pharmaceuticals Inc, a speciality pharma company, has received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to proceed with Phase II clinical evaluation of Nasulin in Type II diabetics.

This approval followed the completion of Bentley's pharmacokinetic clinical studies of Nasulin studies in India. The Phase II study would be initiated in March 2007 and was expected to be completed before the year-end, a company release here said.

Biocon Marketing President Rakesh Bamzai said ''we are very excited about the progress made in the nasal insulin program with Bentley. Biocon truly believes that non-injectable insulins will drive the future of diabetes therapy the world over.'' Nasulin was Bentley's intra-nasal insulin product, utilising its proprietary delivery technology CPE-215. As per the licensing agreement, Biocon was responsible for developing and marketing Nasulin in India and select territories. Biocon provided a source of insulin powder and Cardinal Health had manufactured the clinical supplies for this Phase II study under contract with Bentley, the release said.

UNI