LONDON (ShareCast) - (Sharecast News) - Arecor Therapeutics announced the start of the phase one clinical trial for its ultra-rapid acting insulin candidate 'AT278' on Wednesday, with the first patient being dosed.
The AIM-traded company said the trial would focus on investigating the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profile of the insulin candidate in type-2 diabetic patients, which was the primary target population.

It said the trial is a double-blind, randomised crossover study that would compare the PK and PD profile of a single subcutaneous dose of 0.5 U/kg of AT278 with 'NovoRapid' at 100 U/mL in 32 participants.

In addition, the PK and PD profile of a single subcutaneous dose of 0.5 U/kg 'Humulin-R U500' would also be evaluated in each of the participants.

The trial was being conducted at the Medical University of Graz in Austria, which Arecor described as an expert clinical research facility in metabolic diseases research and euglycemic clamp methodology, with professor Thomas Pieber serving as the trial's principal investigator.

"Having already demonstrated AT278's very promising profile in type-1 diabetes patients, we look forward to furthering our understanding of its potential impact in type-2 diabetes patients, the primary target market for this potential insulin treatment," said chief executive officer Sarah Howell.

"The number of people living with type-2 diabetes is increasing year-on-year and driven by the obesity epidemic, many are becoming insulin resistant, requiring large volumes of insulin and multiple injections to manage their condition, which is a heavy daily burden."

Howell said that with no concentrated rapid-acting insulin products on the market, AT278 could be the first such product available to patients, enabling effective blood glucose management alongside the "convenience and compliance benefits" of high insulin doses in a lower injection volume via a single injection.

"In addition, a truly rapid acting, concentrated insulin is a critical step towards the advancement and miniaturisation of the next generation of insulin delivery devices."

At 1416 GMT, shares in Arecor Therapeutics were flat at 260p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.

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