LXRX Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc

- Significant Improvements in Glycemic Control - Significant Reduction in HbA1c within Four Weeks - Favorable Safety, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Profile Observed THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Jan. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:LXRX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering breakthrough treatments for human disease, obtained positive results from a recently completed Phase 2 study of LX4211 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. LX4211 is a once-per-day, orally-delivered, small molecule drug candidate that inhibits the sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2), lowering the accumulation of glucose in the body and reducing caloric load. LX4211, dosed as a single agent, provided improvements in glycemic control, demonstrating statistically significant benefits in the primary and multiple secondary efficacy endpoints. "Results from this important first trial of LX4211 in diabetic patients exceeded our expectations," said Dr. Philip M. Brown, senior vice president of clinical development at Lexicon. "Rapid improvement in multiple parameters of diabetes, meaningful weight loss, a favorable safety profile and the fact that LX4211-treated patients exhibited improvements in clinically-important metabolic and cardiovascular parameters within four weeks on a single agent is remarkable." The recently completed study was a four-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 36 patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients were randomized to receive either placebo (n=12) or LX4211, 150 mg (n=12) or 300 mg (n=12), once daily for 28 days. Patients were sequestered, provided a controlled diet and monitored closely throughout the study period. There was a marked decrease in fasting plasma glucose throughout the treatment period in both dose groups, with reductions at week four of 53.4 mg/dl and 65.9 mg/dl in the 150 mg and 300 mg dose groups, respectively, as compared to 15.1 mg/dl for placebo. These decreases in fasting plasma glucose relative to placebo were statistically significant for both LX4211 dose groups (p=0.001 and p