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news.Isis Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company, has initiated a Phase I study of ISIS-SGLT2Rx, an antisense drug that inhibits the production of sodium-dependent glucose co-transporter type 2.
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Sodium-dependent glucose co-transporter type 2 (SGLT2) is the major transporter responsible for glucose re-absorption in the kidney. Decreasing SGLT2 levels promote glucose excretion in the urine and reduce blood sugar levels, making it a good target for the treatment of diabetes.
The Phase I study of ISIS-SGLT2Rx is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation study conducted in healthy volunteers and is designed to assess the safety and pharmacokinetic profile of ISIS-SGLT2Rx as well as to measure ISIS-SGLT2Rx’s activity by evaluating its effect on glucose excretion in urine.
Stanley Crooke, chairman and CEO of Isis, said: ISIS-SGLT2Rx is among the most potent antisense drugs Isis has yet evaluated in preclinical models. The enhanced potency we have observed supports the possibility of infrequent injectable dosing or, potentially, a cost-effective oral administration for the treatment of diabetes.
In addition, in a Phase I study in healthy volunteers, we will be able to gain valuable information regarding the drug’s activity, which we will use to design a Phase II program. We have 19 drugs in our pipeline and with the efficiency of our antisense technology, we expect to continue to mature and expand our portfolio as drugs advance in clinical development and are added to the pipeline.