EXTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Melior Pharmaceuticals I, Inc. announced today that it has randomized the first patient into treatment arms of a Phase 2 study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of MLR-1023 towards Type 2 diabetes. The 4-week treatment protocol will enroll 120 subjects across 14 clinical sites in the U.S. and Korea. The study is a joint development effort between Melior Pharmaceuticals I (USA) and Bukwang Pharmaceutical Company (Korea).
“We are tremendously excited at the start of the clinical program to investigate the use of MLR-1023 as the first insulin sensitizer that does not work through PPAR gamma activation, and without the associated untoward effects of PPAR-active compounds,” said Andrew Reaume, CEO of Melior Pharmaceuticals I.
MLR-1023 is an oral insulin sensitizer in development for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. It improves glycemic control by directly and selectively activating the Lyn tyrosine kinase enzyme, which has been shown to modulate insulin-signaling pathways independently of PPAR-related interactions. Preclinical studies show that MLR-1023 has the potential to lower blood glucose levels more effectively than existing therapies without the risk of hypoglycemia or weight gain. It improves beta cell function in diabetes models and combines well with current anti-diabetes drugs. Melior expects MLR-1023 will be dosed once daily.
About Melior
Melior Discovery and Melior Pharmaceuticals, its sister company, are leaders in pharmaceutical drug repositioning using the unique theraTRACE® platform comprised of multiplexed in vivo disease models. Melior is using these capabilities to build an internal pipeline of development candidates and also partners with pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies to apply the theraTRACE® platform and its in-depth in vivo pharmacology expertise to their development candidates. Melior Discovery and Melior Pharmaceuticals are privately held and located in Exton, PA. For more information, visit www.meliordiscovery.com.
About Bukwang Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd.
Bukwang Pharm. Co., Ltd. is a leading Korean pharmaceutical company listed on the Korean Stock Exchange [KRX:003000]. The company has been in business for over 50 years, and achieved US$130 million in sales in 2012. Sales are primarily derived from products licensed from Europe, the United States and Japan. The company is currently investing significant resources in R&D to create a robust pipeline of preclinical and clinical agents for the treatment of antiviral diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, CNS disorders and metabolic diseases.
