S-P's acadesine mimics exercise benefits in mice

Data published in the July 31 issue of Cell show that Schering-Plough's AICAR induced metabolic genes and enhanced running endurance of sedentary mice, increasing the distance they could run on a treadmill by 44% for 23% longer duration.

The US drug major licensed the compound, also known as acadesine, from New York-based biopharmaceutical firm PeriCor Therapeutics last year (Marketletter September 3, 2007). Mimicking the benefits of exercise represents an entirely novel anti-obesity strategy and it could be a lucrative new indication for the drug, which is currently in Phase III trials as a treatment for cardio- and cerebrovascular complications in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The researchers found that AMPK-activating acadesine provides a transcriptional cue that re-programs the skeletal muscle genome and dramatically enhances endurance. On the day results were reported, S-P's shares rose 4.9% to $21.04 in afternoon trading.