Daewoong Pharma says Enblo lowered leptin levels nearly twice as much as dapagliflozin
Enblo (inabogliflozin), a new diabetes drug, has been found to lower blood leptin levels nearly twice as much as dapagliflozin, a drug in the same class, suggesting potential as a metabolic treatment.
Daewoong Pharma announced Wednesday that the findings were published in the international journal Cardiovascular Diabetology.
Enblo, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor, reduced leptin levels nearly twice as much as dapagliflozin, another drug in the same class. Leptin is an appetite-regulating hormone that helps maintain stable body fat levels. Patients with type 2 diabetes — particularly those with obesity — often have elevated blood leptin levels.
Researchers conducted a pooled analysis of two phase 3 clinical trials of Enblo published in 2022: a phase 3 study of combination therapy with metformin, and a phase 3 study of triple combination therapy with metformin and gemigliptin. The trials tracked changes in 427 type 2 diabetes patients who received either Enblo or dapagliflozin over 24 weeks. The Enblo group showed a blood leptin reduction of −2.08 µg/L after 24 weeks, roughly twice the −1.09 µg/L reduction seen in the dapagliflozin group.
Ryu Young-sang, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Chosun University who led the research, said Enblo produced a greater reduction in leptin than dapagliflozin even after adjusting for changes in body weight, and also showed significant improvement in insulin resistance markers. Ryu added that further research is needed to clarify the mechanism behind these changes.
Daewoong Pharma said Enblo has the potential to develop into a treatment that goes beyond blood sugar control to encompass broader metabolic health.
freiheit@heraldcorp.com
