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Nature Biotechnology 26, 479–480 (1 May 2008) | doi:10.1038/nbt0508-479

Inhaled insulin's last gasp?

Jim Kling

Clinical programs for inhaled insulin have received several setbacks of late, with Bagsv|[aelig]|rd, Denmark-based Novo Nordisk deciding in January to terminate phase 3 trials of its inhaler and Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly announcing in early March that it was axing development of its inhaled product. But in early April, the death blow was delivered: Pfizer, of New York, which in October had pulled its own inhaled insulin product, Exubera, from the market due to disappointing sales, said it is updating the product's label to reflect an increased incidence of lung cancer cases among former smokers.