Replies to post #65985 on Biotech Values

[rkrw]

I think the Biodel data hinted at it. Weight neutral, faster onset and offset leading to less hypoglycemic events, lower daily insulin usage. But the biodel data didn't measure up and Biodel seems like a possible doa. Only other player I know is Halozyme and I wouldn't invest in halo for insulin, that's just one potential application they're working on. Without a partner, i.e. lilly or novo, I wouldn't value it at all.

[genisi]

The idea of BIOD's formulation is to facilitate absorption of the insulin and make a super rapid insulin. Due to the rapid absorption, the compositions can shut off the conversion of glycogen to glucose in the liver, thereby preventing hyperglycemia:

Insulin is most stable in its hexameric form (six insulin monomers assembled around zinc ions)and the hexamers are big slowly absorbed molecules.
Adding a chelator (EDTA), in the presence of citric acid (btw, that could be the cause for the injection site pain), which solubiizes the insulin, pulls the zinc away from the insulin, thereby favoring the monomeric form of the insulin over the hexameric form. The monomeric form has a molecular weight that is less than one-sixth the molecular weight of the hexameric form, thereby markedly increasing both the speed and quantity of insulin absorption.