Current pharmacological treatment of late-stage Type 2 diabetes typically consists of the replacement of only one of the peptide hormones that are lost after β-cell destruction, namely insulin. Protemix believes that insulin resistance and declining β-cell function are caused and exacerbated by multiple underlying hormone deficits, and that metabolic abnormalities may be reversed and corrected by administering novel natural peptide hormones in co-replacement therapies.

Protemix is a world leader in the application of protein chemistry to hormone discovery and has developed proprietary technologies to rapidly and systemically “mine” the human proteome for diabetes-related peptides. Protemix methodologies are specifically adapted to the discovery of disease mechanisms, endocrine regulation, and hormone signal transduction pathways. Scientists theorize there may be as many as 1,000 peptide hormones within the human proteome, of which perhaps only 200 are known. Protemix views this as a major opportunity for the discovery and development of novel therapeutics.

Protemix scientists, led by Professor Garth Cooper, have already discovered two new peptide hormones implicated in diabetes and expect to identify more as the company’s discovery research continues. The first of these, EN122001, is believed to increase insulin secretion. The second, EN122002, is thought to mediate glucose uptake and may act as a novel islet β-cell growth factor.