Novo Nordisk starts Ph II on DRF-2725

After Novartis pulled out of a North American co-development deal onthe Dr Reddy's Laboratories-originated non-insulin dependent diabetes 2 therapy DRF-2725 (NN622) with Novo Nordisk (Marketletter November 5), the latter has taken the drug into Phase III trials. This move, as originally planned, has triggered a first (undisclosed) milestone payment to Dr Reddy's, the Indian company has announced.

DRF-2725 (NN622) is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha and gamma agonist which, according to Dr Reddy's, in pre- and early-clinical trials and in clinical proof-of-concept studies has shown potential to regulate these parameters and thereby blood glucose and diabetic dysplasia.

The compound is chemically and pharmacologically different from presently-marketed PPAR agonists and constitutes a new class of insulin sensitizers.