The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7205 p10
6 July 2002

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Enzyme inhibitor improves symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients

An enzyme inhibitor in development, LY333531, improves the symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, according to the results of a phase II trial. Eli Lilly, developing the inhibitor, says that LY333531 selectively inhibits protein kinase C beta in vascular, retinal and renal tissues. Activation of this enzyme under conditions of hyperglycaemia is one of the main mechanisms of microvascular complications in patients with diabetes.

Researchers randomly assigned 205 patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and diabetic peripheral neuropathy to receive LY333531 or placebo. They found that, compared with placebo, LY333531 led to improvements in neurological symptoms — notably in the lower limbs and reflexes, which are most affected by diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Improvements in symptoms such as numbness, prickling, aching pain, burning pain and lancinating pain were seen in 83 patients given LY333531.

LY333531 is also being investigated for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy. Eli Lilly expects to apply for a licence for LY333531 in the United Kingdom for use in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy within the next two years. Data were presented at the 62nd scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association held in San Francisco last month.