New drugs breakthrough for diabetes
Published: October 6, 2005
Drugs which could provide a breakthrough in the treatment of diabetes are being developed by scientists at the University of Ulster and are nearly ready for clinical trials.
The news came as a World Health Organisation report this week identified diabetes as one of the major health issues facing the world in the 21st century.
Diabetes deaths are set to rise in the UK alone by 25% in a decade as obesity continues to increase, according to the report.
The university scientists are developing innovative drugs which they believe represent important new therapeutic tools to help ease the burden of diabetes worldwide.
The research team, based at the university’s campus at Coleraine, Co Londonderry, discovered that modified forms of GIP - a naturally occurring molecule produced by the body - can combat key symptoms of diabetes.
They have set up a new company - Diabetica Ltd. - to develop production of the new anti-diabetic agents.
Dr Neville McClenaghan, a prime mover in the new company, said current statistics reported there were some 150 million diagnosed cases of diabetes worldwide and that the figure was set to double within 20 years.
“The holy grail of diabetes treatment is safe and effective management of blood glucose,” he said.
“We believe that novel molecules arising from our platform GIP technology should provide effective new tools to help individuals better control the condition known as Type 2 diabetes.
“That’s really what physicians are looking for at the minute - new drugs that offer improvements or enhancement over current drugs,” added Dr McClenaghan.
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