An Ohio State University study found that an experimental oral drug lowers blood sugar levels and inflammation in mice with type 2 diabetes, suggesting that the medication could someday be used to treat humans with type 2 diabetes.
The drug consists of a synthetic molecule that stops the biological activity of a protein called macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). The researchers found that mice who have been genetically engineered not to carry the MIF protein are less likely to develop symptoms of Type 2 diabetes. To support these animal findings the researchers measured proteins and hormones in blood samples from a small group of people with type 2 diabetes, and healthy human participants for comparison. The patients with diabetes had significantly higher levels of MIF in their blood than did the healthy patients.
The scientists then treated diabetic mice with an investigational drug called CPSI-1306 by its manufacturer, Cytokine PharmaSciences Inc., and found that most animals showed lower blood sugar levels and reduced inflammatory proteins in their blood when compared to untreated mice with type 2 diabetes.
