Project 175515

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or Type-2 diabetes, is the major type, representing 90% of all diabetes cases. It is a chronic disease, characterized by hyperglycemia and results in a high level of morbidity and mortality from complications. Patients with this condition are primarily treated with oral medications from a number of drug classes which aim to reduce blood glucose in either the fasting or postprandial (after a meal) states. The global market for Type-2 diabetes was US$19B in 2005, which represents an 11.5% increase from 2004.1 We propose to develop a new compound with higher potency and specificity than currently available agents for controlling the breakdown of starches to glucose after meals. This compound will act by compromising the enzymes in the small intestine that perform this function. This proof of principle request is to synthesize this new compound and to test its efficacy in a rat diabetic model, as well as to determine its preliminary toxicity profile. A favorable outcome will provide sufficient proof of principle to enable us to explore licensing opportunities with larger biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies with R&D programs in Type-II diabetes.