BetaPharma Drug Discovery
BetaPharma Drug Discovery Accelerating Drug Discovery

Inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4 inhibitors), are a new class of oral hypoglycaemics which inhibit DPP-4 and enhance the body’s ability to control blood glucose by increasing the active levels of incretin hormones in the body. Their mechanism of action is different from other oral hypoglaemic medications. They control elevated blood glucose by triggering pancreatic insulin secretion, suppressing pancreatic glucagon (a hormone involved in carbohydrate metabolism) secretion, and notifying the liver to decrease production of glucose. DPP-4 inhibitors can significantly reduce HbA1c up to one year of treatment and offer benefits over other diabetes therapies, such as a low risk of hypoglycaemia and no weight gain. They can be used as monotherapy (alone) and/or in combination with other diabetes medications. In addition, Betapharma’s DPP-4 inhibitors can be taken orally, once a day.

GLP-1 analog, BP3006:

Glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) is an endogenous insulinotropic/glucagonostatic hormone that acts in a self-limiting mechanism. It is a multifunctional hormone that leads to insulin release stimulation, liver glucagon breakdown suppression, upregulation of islet cell proliferation, and neogenesis and retardation of gastric emptying. The short half-life and high renal clearance due to degradation via dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV), and active glomerular filtration rate make this hormone ineffectual as an exogenous agent. More stable and long acting GLP-1 analogues and DPP-IV inhibitors have been developed with promising clinical value for the treatment of type-2 diabetes. The GLP-1 derivatives have the advantage of decreasing body weight while the DPP-IV inhibitors can be administered orally up to once daily. The mechanism of action as well as the tolerable side effect is astounding