Major pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, alongside smaller company XenoPort inc. released a statement this week saying that their diabetes drug Solzira failed to pass a Phase 2 study to treat diabetic neuropathy damage to the extremities of the body.
However, the response may be down to statistical glitch caused by an unexpectedly high placebo-response rate. According to XenoPort, placebo response of this nature is not uncommon when it comes to diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and can easily cause the failure of a trial.
The drug is yet to be reviewed or approved by the Food and Drug Administratio, to which it has been submitted as a treatment for restless leg syndrome. Diabetic neuropathy is an extremely common diabetes complication, caused when fluctuations in blood sugar levels damage nerve endings throughout the peripheral extremities of the body.
