Isis Diabetes Drug Shows Promise

Earlier this week, Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ISIS - Analyst Report) reported positive top-line results on its type II diabetes candidate, ISIS-113715. Results from the phase II study showed consistent and statistically significant reductions in multiple short and intermediate measures of glucose control. Besides lowering blood glucose, the candidate also caused statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
 
Importantly, a tendency towards weight loss was observed without strict dietary control. The candidate’s safety profile was favorable with no clinically significant adverse effects being observed. Full results will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting.
 
ISIS-113715 is a novel insulin sensitizer that reduces the expression of protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP-1B). The candidate’s ability to normalize glucose without exacerbating hypoglycemia, and reduce LDL-C levels and weight could provide patients who are obese and at high cardiovascular risk with a new treatment option.
 
ISIS-113715 has been developed using the company’s antisense technology. We believe antisense technology represent enormous potential. Isis is pioneering the effort into antisense research and has already commercialized the first antisense drug in 1998 with Vitravene.
 
The company currently has several proprietary compounds in clinical development as well as partnered programs with large pharmaceutical companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY - Analyst Report), Eli Lilly (LLY - Analyst Report), Merck (MRK - Analyst Report), Johnson and Johnson (JNJ - Analyst Report), Genzyme (GENZ - Analyst Report) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK - Analyst Report).
 
Isis’ lead pipeline candidate, mipomersen, is being developed in collaboration with Genzyme for the treatment of high cholesterol. The candidate is currently in phase III studies and Genzyme and Isis are looking to file a New Drug Application (NDA) for the candidate in the second half of 2010.
 
We believe Isis will seek to partner ISIS-113715 as well. A partnership announcement could come in the near future once full phase II data on the candidate is available.