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Minster Pharmaceuticals and
the University of Buckingham investigate potential of sabcomeline in Type 2
diabetes The University of Buckingham will investigate the effect of a range of doses of sabcomeline on glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity. If the results are positive, Minster will consider taking the product into clinical development in this indication. Type 2 diabetes, in which the body does not produce enough insulin or does not respond to insulin, affects around 200 million people world wide, and the number is expected to increase with lifestyle changes and growing levels of obesity. Diabetes is a major cause of death, and increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The potential of sabcomeline in diabetes is based on research which suggests that over half of whole body glucose uptake after a meal is dependent on hepatic insulin sensitising substance (HISS) release from the liver. HISS release is controlled by the hepatic branch of the vagus nerve and mediated by acetylcholine acting at the muscarinic M1 receptor1. As a muscarinic M1 agonist, sabcomeline may enhance glucose uptake by leading to the production of more HISS, without inducing hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) at other times. Sabcomeline has been in development for the treatment of cognitive decline in schizophrenia since Minster Pharmaceuticals licensed it from GlaxoSmithKline in 2001. Given its prior development at GSK, it has an extensive preclinical registration package and good clinical safety data in over 2,500 patients, some of whom were treated for over a year. Dr Paul Sharpe, CEO of Minster Pharmaceuticals commented: “We are pleased that Mike and his expert team at the University of Buckingham will be investigating the clinical potential of sabcomeline in Type 2 diabetes. Minster believes that the extensive clinical experience with the product will allow rapid progression to establishment of the clinical activity of the compound and its potential as a significant advance in treatment. Plans with regard to developing our other drug candidate, tonabersat, to proof of concept in migraine are progressing well.” Professor Michael Cawthorne, Director of Metabolic Research at the Clore Laboratory, University of Buckingham added: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Minster Pharmaceuticals to examine the HISS hypothesis using this M1 agonist. If our work has a successful outcome, rapid advance into clinical studies should be possible”. 1 Ribeiro et al Diabetologia (2005) 48:976-983 --ENDS— For further information, please contact: Minster Pharmaceuticals plc Dr Paul Sharpe, CEO +44 1799 506623 University of Buckingham Professor Michael Cawthorne +44 1280 820309 Northbank Communications +44 207 886 8150 Emma Palmer (financial enquiries) Rowan Minnion (media enquiries) About Minster Pharmaceuticals Minster Pharmaceuticals is an AIM–listed (AIM:MPM) drug development company specialising in compounds for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric conditions. The Company was established as BioPartners Ltd in 2001 when it acquired from GlaxoSmithKline the worldwide development rights for two compounds, tonabersat and sabcomeline, which have benefited from GSK’s substantial investment. Tonabersat, a novel compound for the treatment and prevention of migraine, completed a Phase II programme in over 1000 patients in the late 1990s, and is being developed further in this indication by Minster Pharmaceuticals. Sabcomeline has completed clinical trials in over 2,500 patients, and has been identified as a potential treatment for chronic schizophrenia. It is now in Phase II trials. Development work is carried out by service providers such as contract research organisations, and at the appropriate time Minster plans to license its pharmaceutical products to pharmaceutical companies in order to complete development, register and market the drugs. As well as the development of sabcomeline and tonabersat, the company is looking to take on the development of further compounds by way of acquisition or in-licensing. For more information, please go to www.minsterpharma.com. About the Clore Laboratory, University of Buckingham The Clore Laboratory focuses on diabetes, obesity and metabolic research. This internationally recognised research group has interests in molecular genetics, biochemistry, pharmacology, nutrition and the physiology of metabolic diseases. The Clore Laboratory is led by Professors Mike Cawthorne and Jon Arch, researchers with a track record in drug discovery, including β3-adrenoceptor agonists and the thiazolidinedione insulin sensitiser rosiglitazone (GlaxoSmithKline’s Avandia). Mike Cawthorne was awarded the 2001 Society for Medicines Research award for drug discovery in recognition of his work on the discovery of rosiglitazone. For more information, please go to www.buckingham.ac.uk/clore About diabetes Type 2 diabetes affects more than 200 million people worldwide and the number is expected to increase further over the next 10 years. In Europe, 5-10% of the adult population have diabetes. In the United States, diabetes is the sixth highest cause of death by disease, with an estimated 16 million Americans affected. The incidence rates in many countries in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, South East Asia and South America are considerably higher than in Europe and North America, and in some cases are reaching epidemic levels.
Diabetes increases the risk of death
from cardiovascular disease such as stroke, coronary heart disease and
atherosclerosis. Diabetes is also the leading cause of adult-onset blindness,
kidney failure, non-traumatic limb loss, and loss of neurosensory function.
Diabetes has significant economic importance in that typically healthcare costs
for diabetics are twice those of non-diabetics.The cost of diabetes in the USA
is estimated currently at more than $90billion per annum. Obesity is strongly
linked with Type 2 diabetes but it also impacts on many other diseases,
particularly cardiovascular disease. Obesity is one of the fastest growing
epidemics in the world, affecting both developed and developing countries. It is
estimated that the costs of obesity represent approximately 6-8% of the direct
healthcare budgets of developed countries. Obesity is not simply a matter of
overeating; understanding obesity involves understanding the interaction of
genes and diet and the complex neuroendocrine matrix that regulates energy
balance. |
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