Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MBRX) announced today that its
late-breaking abstract has been accepted for presentation at the
American Diabetes Association’s 69th Scientific Sessions in
New Orleans, LA (June 5-9, 2009). The abstract, entitled “Pronounced
Glucose Reduction In Poorly Controlled T2DM with MB07803, a Novel
Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase Inhibitor (FBPaseI) with Reduced Potential
for Acid-Base Disturbances vs the 1st Generation FBPaseI
CS-917” will be presented in poster format in the Clinical
Therapeutics/New Technology-Pharmacologic Treatment of Diabetes or its
Complications category.
The poster presentation will disclose results from a 14-day,
single-center, randomized, double-blind, PBO-controlled, ascending
multi-dose trial in forty-two patients with poorly-controlled type 2
diabetes mellitus. MB07803 is Metabasis’ second-generation product
candidate from a new class of drugs that the Company discovered
internally for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. MB07803 is designed to
reduce glucose production in the liver by inhibiting the enzyme
fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase). Excess glucose production is a
major contributor to the elevated glucose levels found in patients with
type 2 diabetes. Inhibitors of FBPase are expected to fulfill an unmet
medical need because the majority of current antidiabetic medications
act primarily on insulin resistance or impaired insulin secretion and do
not effectively or directly reduce endogenous glucose production. Prior
to this trial, MB07803 had been evaluated in five Phase 1 trials in
healthy volunteers and in a Phase 2a initial proof-of-concept trial in
105 patients with type 2 diabetes.
The poster has been assigned presentation number 11-LB and is available
for viewing throughout the duration of the conference. Barry Gumbiner,
M.D., Metabasis’ chief medical officer and vice president of clinical
development will be available to answer questions on Saturday, June 6
from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and during the evening Poster Session Reception
for this category.
“Acceptance of our late-breaking abstract by the American Diabetes
Association review committee provides an opportunity for us to present
the results from our recent clinical trial on MB07803 at one of the
world’s most well-attended and important conferences on diabetes,”
stated Mark Erion, Ph.D., president, chief executive officer and chief
scientific officer.
