Asthma drug shows promise, diabetes study fails in Targacept phase 2 trials

A Targacept (NASDAQ:TRGT) compound developed for potential applications in asthma and type 2 diabetes has mixed mid-stage clinical trial results that show success in asthma but failure in diabetes.

As a result, Targacept will no longer pursue TC-6987 in the diabetes indication. The mixed results come a week after the Winston-Salem, North Carolina company reported the failure of depression drug candidate TC-5214 in the final set of phase 3 studies. In announcing the release of the TC-5214 results, Targacept, which partnered with AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) on the development of the compound, said it would cease that development program.

TC-6987 was studied in two separate exploratory phase 2 studies, one for asthma and another in diabetes. In the asthma study, the compound was better than a placebo at increasing forced expiratory volume — the amount of air a patient can blow out after full inspiration. But in the diabetes study, the compound failed to meet the primary goal of a change in fasting plasma glucose.

Targacept, a spinout company from tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds, develops compounds that have an effect on the body’s neuronal nicotinic receptors. Before TC-5214′s failure in clinical trials, the compound had been Targacept’s lead drug candidate. CEO Don deBethizy said in a statement that the TC-6987 studies accomplished Targacept’s goal of showing the potential of the company’s technology beyond treating central nervous system disorders.

Besides TC-6987, Targacept also has clinical-stage programs in Alzheimer’s disease. Experimental Alzheimer’s disease treatment AZD1446 is currently in a phase 2 clinical trial financed and conducted by AstraZeneca.

[Photo from Flickr user shawnzrossi]

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