Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine are exploring avenues to heal wounds by identifying proteins that are active in fetuses, but largely inactive in adults and absent in diabetic adults. They have identified a protein called nonselenocysteine-containing phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase, or NPGPx, that fits the bill and could be the basis for therapies aimed at diabetic wound healing. NPGPx is a direct transcriptional target of miR-29. miR-29 is downregulated in fetal tissue, thus NPGPx is active in fetal tissue but becomes mostly inactive in the skin after birth.

Sciwind Biosciences Co. Ltd. started dosing in a phase III clinical trial in China of its ecnoglutide (XW-003) candidate in adults with type 2 diabetes, targeting patients who have not responded adequately to either metformin or changes in lifestyle.

After raising an undisclosed sum in a series A round, French biotech company Adipopharma LLC aims to progress its make-or-break targeted insulin resistance peptide into a phase I trial in type 2 diabetes patients by the end of 2023.

Leveraging a computational platform designed to exploit the full potential of a widely studied pharma target has proved successful in attracting venture investors in the last few years to Structure Therapeutics Inc. The company now is giving the public markets a go, aiming to raise up to $100 million in what marks the first biopharma U.S. IPO filing for 2023.

Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc. has had a lot of success with testing its oral insulin, until now. The company will discontinue it oral insulin clinical work in treating type 2 diabetes after ORMD-0801 failed to hit its phase III study’s primary and secondary endpoints. The late-stage stumble clobbered the company stock (NASDAQ:ORMP), which lost 76% of its value on Dec. 12 to close at $2.54 each.

Metabolic health is at an odd juncture. With the advent of glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) agonists, pharmacologically induced weight loss has matured into a viable therapeutic option at long last. And research into the drug class is continuing apace.

Metabolic health is at an odd juncture. With the advent of glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) agonists, pharmacologically induced weight loss has matured into a viable therapeutic option at long last. And research into the drug class is continuing apace.

Metabolic health is at an odd juncture. With the advent of glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) agonists, pharmacologically induced weight loss has matured into a viable therapeutic option at long last. And research into the drug class is continuing apace.