Experimental Diabetes Drugs Have New Strategy
source: ada
Experimental Diabetes Drugs Have New Strategy
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Drugmakers are working on experimental diabetes drugs
using a novel mechanism to help flush excess blood sugar out of the body,
according to results of small studies presented at a medical meeting on
Sunday.
Bristol-Myers Squibb hopes their drug, known as dapagliflozin, will be the
first in a new class that seeks to block the reabsorption of glucose to
lower elevated blood sugar levels in diabetics. GlaxoSmithKline Plc is also
working on a drug using the same concept.
The drugs, known as SGLT-2, or sodium glucose uptake transporter 2
inhibitors, work by overriding the kidney’s normal inclination to reabsorb
excess glucose from the body rather than excreting it.
Diabetes is a chronic disease divided into two separate categories that
result in similar symptoms. Diabetes type 1 is a genetic disorder, sometimes
referred to as juvenile diabetes, in which the pancreas is unable to produce
enough of or the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar.
Type II diabetes, or "adult-onset" diabetes, is the most common form of the
disease that afflicts about 180 million people worldwide, and develops when
the body can longer adequately utilize insulin. It is usually precipitated
by obesity.
If uncontrolled, serious complications of diabetes include damage to
eyesight, the kidneys and limb amputation. About 13,000 doctors and
researchers are gathering at the American Diabetes Association’s annual
meeting in Chicago to discuss treatment options.
Bristol’s 47-patient trial found that the drug helped improve fasting
glucose values over 14 days. Patients received one of three different doses
alone or with the oral generic medication metformin.
Two side effects were of "clinical interest" in the study, according to lead
investigator Bernard Komoroski, a researcher at Bristol-Myers.
Two patients had hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar and two patients developed
vaginal infections, he said.
"It’s just something for us to keep our eye on," he said.
Bristol is developing the drug with British drugmaker AstraZeneca The
companies expect to start the final phase of testing before requesting
regulatory approval this year.
New data was also presented on GlaxoSmithKline’s investigational SGLT-2
inhibitor, called sergliflozin.
The drug was found to decrease glucose concentrations in plasma in two
studies of 14 healthy and eight diabetic patients. The most common adverse
side effects in healthy patients were headache and sore throat. Among
diabetic patients, the most common side effects were headache and stomach
ailments.