By: Deborah Johnson Wood
A Grand Rapids pharmaceutical research
firm announced this week that preliminary data from its Phase IIa
clinical trials indicate its lead compound, MSDC-0160, lowers blood
glucose levels without the side effects of weight gain or edema –
common side effects of medications currently on the market.
Metabolic Solutions Development Co.,
which has offices in Grand Rapids and a laboratory in Kalamazoo,
conducted the nationwide tests on nearly 100 diabetics over a 28-day
period.
"This was our first study with the lead
compound in a diabetic population," says Mark Olesnavage, CEO. "It
significantly lowered blood glucose versus a placebo and it was very
nice to see a nice rise in HDL cholesterol. We used Actos as a
comparator, HDL rises with Actos as well, and those patients did have
some weight gain."
In addition, MSDC-0160 did not decrease circulating blood cell levels, unlike Actos.
"We can't draw conclusions with this
number of people over this short period of time, but Phase IIb will be
longer and will involve between 250 and 300 people," Olesnavage says.
"Phase IIb will begin by the end of the year, and might include
international sites."
One of the complications with diabetes
is cardiovascular disease and most patients succumb to the disease due
to cardiovascular issues. Metabolic must show that the compound is not
going to increase cardiovascular disease.
Metabolic began developing the compound
in 2006. Olesnavage points out that the drug, as yet unnamed, is many
years and many millions of dollars from market, if favorable test
results continue to move development forward.
Source: Mark Olesnavage, Metabolic Solutions Development Company; Nick Wasmiller, Seyferth & Associates
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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