THE WOODLANDS, Texas,
June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Lexicon
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: LXRX), a biopharmaceutical company
focused on discovering breakthrough treatments for human disease,
presented the first publication of data on LX2761 at the
73rd Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes
Association (ADA) in Chicago, on
June 23, 2013.
David Powell, M.D., Lexicon's
senior vice president of metabolism research, delivered an oral
presentation titled "LX2761, an SGLT1 Inhibitor Restricted to
the Intestine, Improves Glycemic Control in Mice." Dr.
Powell's presentation described the effects of LX2761 treatment on
blood sugar control in mice with diabetes.
"LX2761 was designed to act locally in the gastrointestinal
tract to reduce glucose absorption by inhibiting SGLT1 without any
significant inhibition of SGLT2 in the kidney," said Alan Main, Ph.D., Lexicon's executive vice
president of pharmaceutical research. "This was accomplished
through a dedicated medicinal chemistry effort to identify
molecules with limited systemic exposure that showed efficacy in
animal models of diabetes."
Consistent with design goals for an SGLT1 inhibitor without
systemic exposure, LX2761 resulted in no urinary glucose excretion
in mice while showing delayed intestinal glucose absorption and
increased postprandial GLP-1 levels in mice, both alone and
synergistically with the DPP-4 inhibitor sitagliptin. Notably,
blood glucose excursions after an oral glucose challenge were still
decreased 15 hours after oral LX2761 administration. Finally,
LX2761 improved glycemic control in STZ-diabetic mice and in the
KKAy mouse model of type 2 diabetes, as measured by reductions in
hemoglobin A1c and oral glucose tolerance test results.
"We hope LX2761 may one day treat a large population of patients
with diabetes, and potentially prediabetes, that may wish to avoid
the urinary glucose excretion associated with SGLT2 inhibition in
the kidney," said Brian Zambrowicz,
Ph.D., executive vice president and chief scientific officer. "In
addition, the synergy demonstrated with a DPP-4 inhibitor provides
the mechanistic rationale to consider future combination
therapies."
All presentations will be available for download from Lexicon's
corporate website www.lexpharma.com.
About Lexicon
Lexicon is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering
breakthrough treatments for human disease. Lexicon currently
has multiple programs in clinical development for diabetes,
irritable bowel syndrome, carcinoid syndrome and other indications,
all of which were discovered by Lexicon's research team.
Lexicon has used its proprietary gene knockout technology to
identify more than 100 promising drug targets. Lexicon has
focused drug discovery efforts on these biologically-validated
targets to create its extensive pipeline of clinical and
preclinical programs. For additional information about
Lexicon and its programs, please visit www.lexpharma.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements,"
including statements relating to Lexicon's preclinical
development of LX2761 and the potential therapeutic and commercial
potential of LX2761. This press release also contains
forward-looking statements relating to Lexicon's growth and future
operating results, discovery and development of products, strategic
alliances and intellectual property, as well as other matters that
are not historical facts or information. All forward-looking
statements are based on management's current assumptions and
expectations and involve risks, uncertainties and other important
factors, specifically including those relating to Lexicon's ability
to successfully conduct preclinical and clinical development of
LX2761 and its other potential drug candidates, advance additional
candidates into preclinical and clinical development, obtain
necessary regulatory approvals, achieve its operational objectives,
obtain patent protection for its discoveries and establish
strategic alliances, as well as additional factors relating to
manufacturing, intellectual property rights, and the therapeutic or
commercial value of its drug candidates, that may cause Lexicon's
actual results to be materially different from any future results
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Unless specifically indicated otherwise, results reported as trends
were not statistically significant. Information identifying such
important factors is contained under "Risk Factors" in Lexicon's
annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, as filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Lexicon undertakes no obligation to
update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.