Diabetes drug progress promising but slow
naturally occurring peptide consisting of four amino acids,
promises convenience and fewer side effects over current day
treatments for type 2 diabetes.
Although Dia-B Tech's ISF402 appears a promising concept, having undergone studies that showed a significant reduction of glucose levels in animal models of diabetes.
This was achieved by making the body more sensitive to insulin by activating glycogen synthase, or by delaying the breakdown of insulin itself, thereby prolonging its blood sugar lowering effects.
ISF402 potentially takes its place within an arena where a clutch of companies are currently developing next generation treatments for diabetes. Amongst the areas of research are compounds that inhibited of dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-IV, an enzyme involved in the breakdown of two hormones, glucagons-like peptide (GLP-1) and gastric polypeptide (GIP), that are involved in boosting insulin activity after a meal.
Merck & Co has also been working on DPP IV inhibitors and was scheduled to start Phase III trials of a lead candidate - MK-0431 - in the middle of 2004. Bristol-Myers Squibb has an unnamed candidate in Phase II, while Novo Nordisk is very active in this area. Researchers from the latter company published an article detailing the structure of DPP IV bound to a substrate in the January 2003 issue of Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.
Other companies working on DPP IV inhibitors includes GlaxoSmithKline, with three compounds in Phase I, and Germany's Probiodrug (which sold its DPP IV platform to UK firm Prosidion in June).
In the face of such competition, Dia-B Tech's ISF402 has two primary disadvantages, namely a lack of support from major companies and the drug's early developmental stage.
Di-B Tech is unlikely to find the means to take the compound through clinical trials without the intervention of a bigger partner. Furthermore, if the compound gets through clinical trials, its early developmental stage will mean a late entry to a market already crowded with many anti-diabetes agents.
ISF402 is intends to be orally administered, promoting convenience and ease. It also benefits from the fact that it will not trigger the production of additional insulin avoiding the problem of gradual pancreas exhaustion a problem with some of the most commonly used anti-diabetes therapies, such as sulfonylureas.
ISF402 will be targeted specifically for type 2 diabetes sufferers, whose condition is mainly associated with obesity and who are often resistant to insulin. An oral version of the drug is being developed and human trials are scheduled to begin at the end of 2006.
