Metreleptin
An analog of human leptin, metreleptin, is under investigation for the treatment of diabetes and/or hypertriglyceridemia, in patients with rare forms of lipodystrophy, syndromes characterized by abnormalities in adipose tissue distribution, and severe metabolic abnormalities. Amylin Pharmaceuticals, the drug's developer, has received orphan drug designation for metreleptin from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Orphan Products Development, as well as fast track designation for this indication. In a three-year study of metreleptin in patients with lipodystrophy organized by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, metreleptin treatment was associated with a significant decrease in blood glucose (A1c decreased from 9.4% at baseline to 7.0% at study end) and triglyceride concentration (from 500 mg/dl at baseline to 200 mg/dl at study end). The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has also partnered with Amylin Pharmaceuticals and researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to study whether metreleptin can be used to improve the treatment of type 1 diabetes.
Read more about this topic: Leptin