New anti-inflammatory diabetes treatment by Targacept goes to clinical trial

Biopharmaceutical company Targacept have announced that a they are developing for treating type 2 diabetes, as well as asthma, will go to phase 2 clinical trial . The treatment, called TC-6987, has showed a ‘potent anti-inflammatory response’ during preclinical studies, and was well tolerated by patients taking part in the phase 1 safety trial, it has emerged.
The new trial for TC-6987 will hopefully bring further information on how it can be used for therapeutic treatment. The drug is thought to control the alpha7 neuronal nicotinic receptor in the brain, which is claimed to help manage the pathways for molecules, known as cytokines, which promote inflammation.
Don deBethizy, chief executive of Targacept, commented “The preclinical and early clinical profile of TC-6987 … suggests the potential of this product candidate to benefit patients who suffer from the serious effects of inflammatory disorders and the limitations of current therapies .”
In addition, the company stated it will be initiating a phase 2b clinical trial for a drug that may treat major depressive disorder, called TC-5214, which is being developed in association with AstraZeneca . The drug also recently went into a phase 3 clinical trial as a combination therapy to be used with antidepressants such as Zoloft and Prozac .