Arecor Therapeutics PLC (AIM:AREC) said the first patient has been given a dose of the company's AT278 ultra-concentrated and rapid-acting insulin in a clinical trial for type two diabetes patients.
AT278 will be primarily targeted at type two diabetes patients, having already shown promise in those with type one, with the trial expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year, the AIM-listed biopharmaceutical company said on Wednesday.
It noted that 32 people will be involved in the double-blind trial of the insulin, designed to be rapidly absorbed after injection at a high concentration, potentially enabling fewer jabs a day.
AT278 has already been shown to be more quickly absorbed than gold-standard insulin NovoRapid in people with type one diabetes.
"The number of people living with type two diabetes is increasing year-on-year and driven by the obesity epidemic, many are becoming insulin resistant," chief executive Sarah Howell said in a statement.
This means they require "large volumes of insulin and multiple injections to manage their condition," given no concentrated, rapid-acting products are yet on the market.
“AT278 could be the first such product available to patients," Howell added, "enabling effective blood glucose management alongside the convenience and compliance benefits of high insulin doses in a lower injection volume via a single injection”.