Ex vivo human placental transfer of the peptides pramlintide and exenatide (synthetic exendin-4).

Two peptides, pramlintide (37 amino acids), an analog of human amylin, and exenatide, synthetic exendin-4 (39 amino acids), are both in late-stage clinical development as potential new treatments for people with diabetes. Both are potential long-term treatments, and there is the likelihood that some women will become pregnant while using one of these peptide therapies. Therefore, it was important to evaluate the potential for each peptide to cross the placental barrier and thereby result in exposure to the fetus.