BRIEF—Follicum identifies receptors in insulin-producing cells

Swedish firm Follicum today announced that it has successfully mapped the receptors in insulin-producing cells that bind the company’s peptides.

The new knowledge represents an important milestone in the continued development of the company's diabetes project and opens the possibility of the identified receptors becoming potential drug targets for stimulating insulin secretion and reduction of diabetic complications.

The research was conducted in collaboration with Swiss proteomics specialist Dualsystems Biotech and aimed to identify receptors in a well-characterized insulin-producing cell line that bind the company’s peptides.

The preclinical research is partly funded by a recent grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Follicum is also a member of a major diabetes project, financed by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research.

The company participates together with several leading companies within diabetes such as Novo Nordisk, Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Pfizer, as well as Region Skåne/University Hospital of Skåne in Malmö.