Zealand advances its proprietary stable glucagon analogue for severe hypoglycemia

[Northerner]

Zealand Pharma A/S (“Zealand”) (Nasdaq Copenhagen: ZEAL) announces that the company has dosed the first human subjects in a clinical Phase I trial with ZP4207, its novel stable glucagon analogue. The objectives of the trial are to evaluate the safety and human efficacy of ZP4207 as a novel approach to offer better and more convenient treatment of severe hypoglycemia. Severe hypoglycemia is an acute, life threatening condition resulting from a serious drop in blood sugar levels associated with insulin therapy in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients.

Glucagon is a native peptide, which plays an important role in the control of blood sugar levels. The effects of glucagon are opposite to those of insulin - it helps to release stored glucose and increase blood sugar levels. The therapeutic use of native glucagon in cases of hypoglycemia is made difficult by the peptide’s very poor stability and low solubility. Current glucagon treatments are available in the form of lyophilized powder which requires reconstitution with sterile water in a multi-step process before use. In the case of an acute and severe hypoglycemia event, this can lead to handling errors, delay administration of glucagon and result in sub-optimal treatment.

https://globenewswire.com/news-rele...ia-in-diabetes-into-clinical-development.html

 

[trophywench]

A comment and two questions.

The comment is, my Hypokit is in my fridge at home, so if I'm out and about it can't be used, so the method of having to mix the sterile water with the powder by drawing it up then expelling it into said powder vial, then mixing it in the powder vial, then drawing it up into the syringe again then stabbing my bum with it, would not involve someone who didn't know how to use it who hasn't done it before.

Although I freely admit it would be a lot quicker and far simpler in a ready to use pen, I expect mummies and daddies would feel a lot better about it for their babes - if they go that hypo I should think that's quite panic inducing of itself without all that palaver - my husband is a serial non-panicker and just deals with it. Plus, folk on their own might be able to manage to use it on themselves before they actually got that far out of it that they needed someone else - with all that messing about currently, you certainly couldn't when hypo.

Question 1 - how the hell are they gonna make money out of this? I only have one every X number of years when the old one goes out of date. Hopefully, nobody needs it except occasionally. At the moment since Novo Nordisk make them, it's sort of 'fair' - they don't need to make money on them cos they make their dosh on the insulin they flog - that being the case it's sort of natural that they produce and sell the antidote too - sort of quid pro quo; poetic justice! It's also self-serving for them - keep the diabetic alive, to use more of our insulin ...... So what do this lot make otherwise that will ensure continued production of the new thing? I've never heard of them before.

Question 2 - I see they are intending to experiment with dosages on humans, 20 of whom will be diabetics. Am I happy it's only 20? NO.

and an extra Q

Question 3 - will the 20 diabetics have to declare this to the DVLA as an assisted hypo? LOL

 

[Northerner]

Perhaps they intend/hope to license it to one of the big companies? 🙂