Diabetes
Lexicon's LX4211 drug candidate is intended to treat type 2 diabetes by increasing urinary glucose excretion, thereby lowering blood glucose levels.
About the Disease
Type 2 diabetes is a disorder characterized by insulin resistance, in which the tissues of the body do not respond normally to insulin, and the pancreas does not make enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy needed for daily life. Diabetes can seriously impair overall quality of life and may lead to multiple complications including heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.
About the Market
Over 246 million people worldwide are afflicted with some form of diabetes. The National Institutes of Health estimates that more than 20 million Americans have diabetes, and that type 2 diabetes is the most common type. Diabetes is increasing as the population ages. Obesity, a leading cause of the disease, is also on the increase.
While weight loss can be an effective way to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes, many diabetics also choose to manage the disease with drugs. This broad disease category accounted for $11.9 billion in drug sales in 2006. Most diabetics control blood glucose levels by injecting insulin, or by taking newer drugs that either signal the pancreas to produce the right amount of insulin or reduce resistance to insulin.
The Lexicon Solution
LX4211 is intended to manage type 2 diabetes by inhibiting the glucose transporter SGLT2, resulting in increased glucose excretion in the urine and concomitant lower blood glucose levels. Lexicon is also developing a backup compound for this program, LX4212, which is currently in preclinical studies.