Rheoscience A/S and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (NYSE:RDY) today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase III study with Balaglitazone (DRF2593-307), which is an insulin sensitizer that acts as a partial PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor) gamma agonist. The study is the first in a series of planned Phase III trials which will investigate the safety and efficacy of Balaglitazone, as an oral anti-diabetic drug.

Balaglitazone is a second generation of PPAR gamma agonist with only partial agonistic properties, which in clinical phase II studies have shown to have glucose lowering capabilities and to be body-weight neutral. In preclinical experiments, balaglitazone has been shown to cause less fluid retention than full PPAR gamma agonists.

In the trial, Balaglitazone will be tested in a 6 month double-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled multicenter trial in which type 2 diabetes patients will be given daily doses of either 10 or 20 mg of Balaglitazone versus the active comparator Actos® (45 mg/day) as an add on to stable insulin treatment. The primary clinical end-point of the study is a glucose lowering effect assessed as a change in haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels – the preferred standard measure of a patient’s blood glucose control over time. The study is designed to show non-inferiority to Actos®. As a secondary end point, major emphasis will be focused on assessing the safety profile, including its impact on weight gain and oedema.

A complete Phase III programme has been designed in which the glucose lowering effects of Balaglitazone will be tested either alone, or in combination with a number of other oral agents such as metformin and sulfonylurea.

Balaglitazone is being developed under a co-development agreement between Dr. Reddy’s and Rheoscience. Rheoscience will retain the marketing rights to European Union and China and Dr. Reddy’s will retain the marketing rights in the territories of United States and rest of the world. Rheoscience shall obtain all necessary regulatory approvals on behalf of Dr. Reddy's in the United States.

Balaglitazone is an insulin sensitizer that acts as a partial PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor) gamma agonist being developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Balaglitazone is a novel compound and belongs to the class of thiazolidinediones (TZD)

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is a disease that affects approximately 6% of the global adult population aged 20-79 years and represents an area with significant unmet medical need. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 180 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030.