By Bahk Eun-ji
Hyundai Pharm has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a phase 2 clinical trial of its new drug treating type 2 diabetes, the company said Sunday.
The drug, HDNO-1605 (HD-6277), targets the G-protein-coupled receptor 40 (GPR40), also known as free fatty acid receptor 1, which plays a pivotal role in the regulation of insulin secretion, according to the firm.
It is proven to lessen hypoglycemia and other side-effects of diabetes medications, according to Hyundai, which says diabetic patients can effectively regulate their insulin levels by taking only one pill a day.
The company has been developing HDNO-1605 (HD-6277), which is taken orally, as a state-sponsored project funded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The drug has already completed a phase 1 clinical trial in Europe.