"Our preclinical and clinical data demonstrate the broad therapeutic potential of inhibiting PTP-1B. In addition to glucose
control, this profile includes the reduction of LDL-C, a potentially significant benefit for patients with type 2 diabetes who are at high cardiovascular risk, and the potential to reduce weight. We are currently completing long-term toxicology studies for our PTP-1B program, including evaluating a significantly more potent drug. Based on the significant potency difference we observed between the newer antisense drug and ISIS 113715, instead of developing ISIS 113715 we plan to begin clinical development on the more potentPTP-1B inhibitor in 2011."This turn of events is not at all surprising to me, as I have been questioning their dedication to this program for over a year. The phase 2 data was released in 2009 and then the company said 6 month animal safety studies were all that was holding up a 6 month phase 2b trial in humans of 113715. However, a year and a half later this obviously rang hollow- and the company was just fortunate that no one asked about this on the conference call.This is a troubling trend for multiple members of the ISIS pipeline in 2010- no terrible outcomes, but several programs have had the lead candidates scrapped in favor of more potent backup antisense molecules (but still generation 2.0)- setting back the programs by years in the clinic. As a result, the pipeline is huge in number but heavily slanted towards preclinical or compounds just barely into phase 1.