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- Proteomics International Laboratories (PIQ) finds the diabetes drug, canagliflozin, lowers PromarkerD risk scores in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients
- The company and Janssen Research and Development are examining the association between canagliflozin and the change in PromarkerD score in patients with T2D over a three-year period
- Proteomics has also seen the greatest improvements in people at high risk of developing diabetic kidney disease
- The results will be presented at the Australasian Diabetes Congress in Brisbane which will take place across three days next month
- Company shares are up 6.53 per cent to trade at $1.06
Proteomics International Laboratories (PIQ) has found the diabetes drug, canagliflozin, lowers PromarkerD risk scores in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Canagliflozin is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor class drug used to treat diabetes. It was the first diabetes medicine to slow the progression of diabetic nephropathy — also known as diabetic kidney disease (DKD) — in patients with T2D and DKD.
PromarkerD is Proteomics’ biomarker-based blood test that predicts renal function decline in T2D. At this stage, it’s the only available test able to reliably predict the onset of DKD in patients with T2D.
The company has undertaken a second collaborative study with Janssen Research and Development to examine the association between canagliflozin and the change in PromarkerD score over a three-year period in patients with T2D.
Janssen provided samples from its completed CANagliflozin cardioVascular Assessment Study and Proteomics performed the sample testing before both companies analysed the results.
The study found the average PromarkerD risk score of patients taking canagliflozin was reduced, while the average risk score of patients taking a placebo rose. The companies saw the highest reductions in the patients classified by PromarkerD at the start of the trial as at high risk of developing DKD.
Proteomics Managing Director Dr Richard Lipscombe said the study further validated PromarkerD.
“Now, for the first time, we are confirming that the SGLT2 inhibitor class
of diabetes drug is associated with lowering a patient’s PromarkerD risk score, and that there is a potential treatment for the at-risk patients identified by the test,” he said.
“Excitingly, these latest findings further illustrate the benefits of the PromarkerD test by showing that we can also identify patients who are asymptomatic for diabetic kidney disease, and that canagliflozin improves their renal risk profile as well.”
The results will be presented at the Australasian Diabetes Congress in Brisbane which will take place from August 11 to 13, 2021.
Company shares were up 6.53 per cent to trade at $1.06 at 11:41 am AEST.
