New hypoglycemic drug: Save insulin-producing cells in diabetics

Although several glucose-lowering drugs are currently used in diabetes treatment, none of them can stop or reverse the progression of the disease

Current therapies targeting beta cells have only a temporary positive effect on insulin secretion

Erwin Ilegems, first author of the new study and senior researcher at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, said: "In diabetics, beta cells are challenged to produce large amounts of insulin

Repurposing a cancer drug

HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor-1α) regulates the response to hypoxia

In collaboration with the research group of Prof.

Since insulin production decreases during the development of diabetes, current therapeutic strategies focus on increasing beta-cell insulin production

long-term treatment of diabetes

Unlike other treatments, PX-478 can improve beta cell activity without increasing insulin secretion

"We now plan to further investigate the translatability of our findings, hopefully paving the way for future clinical trials," said Teresa Pereira, a researcher at the Department of Medical Cell Biology at Uppsala University

Science Translational Medicine

HIF-1alpha inhibitor PX-478 preserves pancreatic beta cell function in diabetes