Novel type 2 diabetes treatment to enter phase II clinical trials

A phase II clinical trial is about to begin for Ligand Pharmaceuticals’s LGD-6972 molecule as a possible treatment in type 2 diabetes.
In this phase II study, the glucagon receptor antagonist (GRA), LGD-6972, will be tested by participants in three different doses (5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg) once daily for 12 weeks.
The randomized, double-blind trial has enrolled 148 subjects whose blood sugar levels are inadequately controlled with metformin.
LGD-6972 is being tested for its ability to reduce HbA1c levels and fasting blood sugars through lowering liver glucose output. It is thought to do so by lowering glucagon.
Other changes which will be measured include variations in cholesterol levels, blood pressure and body weight.
The initiation of this second round of trials come after the release of positive results obtained with LGD-6972 in two previous phase I studies.
The findings, published in August 2016 and last January in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, showed that single and multiple daily dose treatment with LGD-6972 resulted in a reduction of 3.1 mmol/L in fasting blood sugars.
LGD-6972 was also shown to help reduce blood sugar levels following a meal.
In terms of its safety, LGD-6972 appeared to be generally well-tolerated among participants with type 2 diabetes. And, according to reports, none of them experienced hypoglycemia.
The upcoming phase II study will investigate further the efficacy and safety of LGD-6972, with first results available next September.