Diabetes study brings biotech dream closer drug hopes excite boffins

Andrew Mathieson
GEELONG is leading the world in producing a drug to tackle a rising diabetes epidemic.
Researchers hope a series of clinical tests will prove their new drug can stabilise the onset of the disease in adults without serious side effects.
Geelong company Verva Pharmaceuticals is starting trials at Geelong Hospital for 80 local residents not already taking medication for the disease.
Barwon Health’s Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science Professor Geoff Nicholson said a scientific breakthrough from the tests could put Geelong on the international biotechnology map.
“What’s interesting about this study is that rather than it being an international pharmaceutical company, it’s a local pharmaceutical company running it and the original research both in the test tubes and the animals was all done in Geelong,” he said.
Prof Nicholson hoped the research could help add extra weight to Geelong’s dream of establishing an international centre of excellence in high-tech medical research.
“We’re trying to get a biotechnology cluster going in Geelong as a 21st-Century industry.”
Prof Nicholson said Geelong Hospital’s cardiology and cancer staff had already been approached to lead research in Australia.
The key behind the diabetes testing was that a drug used decades ago to treat eye diseases had already proven capable of restoring sensitivity to insulin during animal testing, Prof Nicholson said.
Verva Pharmaceuticals made the discovery at Deakin University’s metabolic research unit laboratories.
Researchers hope the drug could improve control of diabetes without participants putting on weight.
Prof Nicholson said experts were concerned diabetes was reaching epidemic proportions.
They expect the number of people suffering the potentially fatal disease to double in the next 20 years.
Other impacts of diabetes include limb amputations and shortened life spans.
Prof Nicholson said Geelong’s rate of diabetes was too high.
“The fact is that in the whole of the western world the incidence of new diabetes and the number of people with pre-existing diabetes, which is prevalent, is increasing because people are living longer, tending to be heavier, doing less exercise and food is plentiful.”
Verva Pharmaceutical chief executive Vince Wacher said Geelong Hospital was a strong “regional catchment area for diabetes patients”.
The Independent revealed last year that Geelong had more than 12,000 residents suffering from diabetes, including 80 per cent of sufferers with the risky type-two strain of the disease.
“(Geelong) is the right size and diversity and serves as a therapeutic hub for a regional population from which we can recruit trail participants,” Mr Wacher said.
“Geelong Hospital has good facilities and the investigators and clinical team with whom we work have extensive laboratory and clinical experience with the large pharmaceutical companies.”