Nastech begins dose ranging assessment of PYY3-36

The USA's Nastech Pharmaceutical, a specialist developer of products using proprietary molecular biology-based drug delivery technologies, says that it has begun a dose-ranging study of PYY3-36, its developmental anti-obesity nasal spray. The aim of the study is to identify dosages suitable for further study in a series of Phase II assessments.

The current program is a double-blind, cross over test of several doses of the drug in 12 obese participants with a body mass index of between 30kg/m2 and 40kg/m2. The compound's pharmacodynamic characteristics will also be examined in an intravenous delivery context, which previous studies have demonstrated results in a 30% reduction in calorific intake in post administration meals.

The firm said that it it expects to complete the study during the fourth quarter of the year, adding that the program would cost around $400,000.