ISIS 113715, a second-generation antisense drug, reduces the expression of protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP-1B). PTP-1B is a mediator of insulin resistance, one of two main defects in patients with type 2 diabetes.
An intent-to-treat analysis of all patients enrolled in the trial treated with a 200mg/wk dose of ISIS 113715 for three months showed statistically significant improvement in multiple measures of glucose control. In addition, ISIS 113715 did not cause hypoglycemia or weight gain and was well tolerated.
“The results from this study are quite encouraging as ISIS 113715 appears to be effective in improving blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes,” said Dr Robert Henry, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego and chief of the section of diabetes, endocrinology, and metabolism at VA San Diego Healthcare System. “If these data are confirmed in larger studies, ISIS 113715 has the potential to be an important new drug for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes.”