DiaKine Drug May Reduce Risk Factors In Type 2 Diabetes
Results of a preclinical study conducted by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney Australia involving DiaKine Therapeutics’ lead drug candidate Lisofylline (LSF) indicate the compound may reduce two key risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
LSF was shown to increase insulin action and reduce the level of inflammatory cells in fat tissue of mice fed diets high in polyunsaturated or saturated fats. The study results showed a reduced macrophage content in the fat tissue of LSF-treated mice, when compared to controls, indicating its immune modulating action. Results also showed improved insulin action in glucose and insulin tolerance tests in LSF-treated mice.
“The results are quite exciting and indicate that LSF, and related Diakine small molecule therapies, could play a significant part in treating type 2 diabetes by reducing inflammation and improving insulin action,†said Dr. Jerry Nadler, Chairman, and Chief Science Officer of DiaKine Therapeutics and the Chief of Medicine at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. “The study results complement our earlier findings, and point toward a much broader role for DiaKine’s drugs in reducing the factors that cause type 1 and type 2 diabetes.â€
The authors of the study are Drs. Georgia Frangioudakis and Carsten Schmitz-Peiffer of the Garvan Institute; Dr. Hong Pei of the University of Virginia; Dr. Todd Mitchell and Mr. James Garrard of the University of Wollongong, Australia, and: Dr. Nadler.
“The Garvan Institute study is an additional validation of DiaKine’s small molecule approach to treating diabetes and its related complications,†said Keith Ignotz, President and Chief Executive Officer for DiaKine Therapeutics.
