BRIEF—vTv buoyed by Breakthrough Therapy designation

Shares in vTv Therapeutics jumped a quarter on Tuesday, after the firm announced US Breakthrough Therapy designation has been granted for its type 1 diabetes candidate TTP399.

The novel once-daily glucokinase activator is in development as an oral adjunctive therapy to insulin for people with T1D, and boasts encouraging data from the Phase II SimpliciT-1 Study.

The trial showed a statistically-significant improvement in HbA1c, relative to placebo, and a 40% decrease in the frequency of severe and symptomatic hypoglycemia.

The company was previously focused on developing therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, but pivoted to diabetes and psoriasis after the failure of its lead candidate azeliragon.

The firm plans to begin registrational trials later in 2021.