APD597 for Type 2 Diabetes

In our partnership with Ortho-McNeil-Janssen, we are collaborating on the development of compounds for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and other disorders by targeting GPR119. GPR119 is a novel receptor discovered by Arena that, in our preclinical models, demonstrated the ability to stimulate insulin production in response to increases in blood glucose. Under our partnership, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial in December 2008 of APD597, a novel oral drug candidate that targets GPR119 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The International Diabetes Foundation estimates that in 2007 there were 246 million adults with diabetes worldwide, an increase of over 20% since 2003. Approximately 90% of diabetics worldwide suffer from type 2 diabetes, which is characterized by an inadequate response to insulin and/or an inadequate secretion of insulin as blood glucose levels rise. The market for diabetes medications was nearly $12 billion in 2005, of which oral drugs exceeded $7 billion. However, a significant portion of type 2 diabetics fail oral medication and require injected insulin therapy. Current oral medications for type 2 diabetes have a number of side effects, including hypoglycemia, weight gain, edema, and perhaps an increase in cardiovascular mortality prompting continued efforts to develop therapeutics to improve the treatment of diabetes.

Our product candidates have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any international regulatory agency.

(This page was last updated: January 5, 2010. Additional information regarding Arena is available in its SEC filings.)