Alize Pharma launches the first Phase I clinical trial for AZP-531 in type 2 diabetes
Alize Pharma announced the launch of the first Phase I clinical trial for AZP-531, its unacylated ghrelin analog, in type 2 diabetes. The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorized this trial that will be conducted as a combined Phase Ia and Phase Ib protocol.
The clinical trial is set to last approximately 18 months. The objectives will be to assess the safety, determine the pharmacokinetic profile of AZP-531 and to provide preliminary data on AZP-531 metabolic effects, particularly on glycemia. This double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will be conducted in three parts: a single ascending dose study in healthy volunteers, a 14-day multiple ascending dose study in overweight or obese subjects and a 14-day multiple ascending dose study in type 2 diabetic patients. Up to 112 patients and healthy volunteers will be enrolled in the trial.
The launch of this clinical program follows five years of collaborative research between Alize Pharma and its academic partners at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, and the University of Turin, in Italy. This research has led to the identification of unacylated ghrelin as a new therapeutic class and to the design of AZP-531. The unique pharmacological profile of AZP-531 differentiates it from ghrelin antagonists and all existing therapeutic classes. Available preclinical and clinical data suggest that UAG and its analogs improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity, reduce fat deposition and have a positive effect on vascular remodeling and on recovery following ischemia, through a mechanism involving protection against oxidative stress.
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