Oramed Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:ORMP) said today that it finished a phase Ib study of its oral GLP-1 analog capsule for type 2 diabetes.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a hormone that stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin. Exenatide, a GLP-1 analog, is available on the market as an injection for patients with type 2 diabetes. The analog stimulates insulin release at increased glucose levels and can result in reduced food intake, along with weight loss.
Israel-based Oramed reported that its oral GLP-1 analog capsule could increase patient compliance to a regimen. The oral formulation is based on the company’s Protein Oral Delivery (POD) technology. Oramed is also working on an ingestible insulin capsule for patients with diabetes.
Data from the phase Ib study of the company’s GLP-1 analog capsule demonstrated that the therapy was safe and well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported during the trial. Oramed also reported that the active oral GLP-1 arms of the study showed encouraging trending efficacy.
“We are very pleased with both the safety and efficacy results observed during this study,” CEO Nadav Kidron said in prepared remarks. “Currently we are preparing to submit an IND with the FDA and anticipate initiating a Phase IIb study in 2017.”
ORMP shares were trading at $6.20 apiece in mid-afternoon trading activity today, up +1.6%.
