Positive type 2 diabetes Phase IIb study with imeglimin in Japan

French diabetes focused biotech firm Poxel (Euronext: POXEL) today reported positive top line Phase IIb data results for imeglimin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Japan, suggesting the drug is more effective in this patient population than in Europe or the USA.

Poxel's shares roared up 37.3% to 8.95 euros by mid-afternoon, jumped as much as 40% earlier in the day.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of imeglimin administered twice-daily for 24 weeks, demonstrated dose-dependent efficacy on two key measures of diabetes control in 299 Japanese patients. The trial achieved statistical significance (p<0.0001) for its primary endpoint of glycated hemoglobin A1c reduction versus placebo in all treatment groups at 24 weeks. In the study, hemoglobin A1c reduction was 0.52%, 0.94% and 1.00% for the 500mg, 1000mg and 1500mg dose twice-daily, respectively. The level of reduction of hemoglobin A1c for imeglimin was even more pronounced in the Japanese Phase IIb data than what has previously been shown in the USA and European Union Phase IIb data.