ACTION PHARMA PRESENTS PRE-CLINICAL DATA FOR TREATMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES

Copenhagen, 16 June 2008

At the American Diabetes Association Congress in San Francisco, Action Pharma presented AP1030, the lead compound within the company’s small molecule program. AP1030 has potent pre-clinically documented anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects. AP1030 is currently investigated in clinical phase 1 trials.

In contrast to other weight reducing antidiabetics (e.g. GLP-1 analogues) AP1030 has the major advantage to be developed for once daily oral administration making it potentially very attractive in this market.

Orally administered AP1030 significantly reduce daily food intake, body weight gain and depot specific accumulation of fat in Diet-Induced Obesity (DIO) rats to a degree similar to positive control treatment. In addition AP1030 treatment significantly improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and prevents expected increases in circulating plasma glucose, insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride, observed in the disease model.

Thomas Jonassen, CSO of Action Pharma A/S says: ‘The results shows that AP1030 exerts a strong effect on the metabolic parameters important in obesity and diabetes, targeting both fat and glucose metabolism. Thus, in the future oral AP1030 might prove to be a very attractive compound in the market for type II diabetes associated with obesity’.

The mode of action of AP1030, first in class, involves a central melanocortin type 4 receptor mediated effect, thereby modulating food intake and central regulation of glucose metabolism as well as an anti-inflammatory melanocortin type 1 receptor mediated effect aimed at reverting low grade inflammation in fatty tissue and thereby reducing peripheral insulin resistance.

Preclinical testing has shown that AP1030 is well tolerated with a beneficial plasma profile giving the possibility to develop the compound for once daily oral dosing in obese and type 2 diabetic patients. The compound is currently tested in clinical phase 1 single- and repeated dosing trials, and further key results are expected in the fourth quarter of 2008.

For further information, please contact

Søren Nielsen, CEO, Action Pharma A/S
sn@actionpharma.com
Phone: +45 23244533

Thomas Jonassen, CSO, Action Pharma A/S
tj@actionpharma.com
Phone: +45 40156669