Orally active NO neutralizers under development for Type 2 diabetes

Diabetes is a major unmet medical need that affects millions of individuals worldwide. Type 2 diabetes involves inflammatory processes and oxidative stress.

The Medical Need

Type 2 Diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease and is characterized by the lack of responsiveness by the body's cells and tissues to insulin. In the US, approximately 12 million people have this disease. In type 2 diabetes, chronic inflammation and excessive damage by free radicals, such as nitric oxide (NO), can mediate tissue damage that contributes to vascular pathology and atherosclerosis.

Recent studies indicate that excessively produced NO underlies the development of type 2 diabetes and may be a key therapeutic target for addressing the condition. In animal models, it has been shown that excessively produced NO can stimulate apoptosis that mediates the loss of insulin-producing beta cells. In addition, inflammatory responses in the pancreas can induce a state of insulin resistance in the beta cell that leads to a NO-dependent shutdown of metabolism, resulting in beta cell dysfunction.

Medinox's Approach

Medinox is developing orally active NO neutralizers to address chronic inflammation and excess NO production in type 2 diabetes. Medinox has shown proof of concept in key animal models of type 2 diabetes, such as the ob/ob mouse and the Zucker rat. These proof of concept studies demonstrate the potential for Medinox's NO compounds to be an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes.