MUHC Researcher Plays Key Role In Developing New Diabetes Drug
CLINICAL TRIALS START TO TEST THE SAFETY OF INGAP PEPTIDE
The first clinical trials of INGAP Peptide for the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus have begun in the United States. INGAP Peptide derives from discoveries made by Dr. Lawrence Rosenberg, Professor of Surgery and Medicine and Director of the Division of Surgical Research at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and Dr. Aaron I. Vinik, Professor of Medicine, Anatomy and Neurobiology and Director of the Strelitz Diabetes Institutes at Eastern Virginia Medical School. GMP Companies Inc., a privately held global healthcare company, which licensed the technology from McGill and EVMS, is developing INGAP Peptide.
Drs. Rosenberg and Vinik found that when certain species of diabetic animals were treated with INGAP Peptide their insulin levels increased and their blood glucose levels decreased.
"INGAP Peptide stimulates the development of new insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, rather than treating the metabolic aspects of diabetes such as high blood sugar," said Dr. Rosenberg. "The regrowth of new insulin-producing cells may prevent the metabolic consequences in the first place, or at least stabilize those that have already occurred."
The Phase 1/ 2a clinical study will assess the safety and tolerability of single and multiple doses of INGAP Peptide in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Leading diabetes specialists at three study sites in the United States are conducting the trial.