The pharmaceutical company Sangamo BioSciences Inc. announced in January 2009 to start a new phase IIb study to analyse the efficacy and safety of their new compound, SB-509, a ligand for the so-called zinc finger proteins, for moderate to severe diabetic neuropathy.

In a press release of januari 11 we find:

Sangamo develops DNA-binding "zinc finger" proteins to modify and regulate genes. SB-509 is a zinc finger activator of vascular endothelial growth factor, which has been shown to promote the survival and development of nerve cells."This puts us in a position to de-risk the program significantly," Chief Executive Edward Lanphier told Reuters in a telephone interview on Friday.

He said Sangamo is "in active discussions" with potential partners and the new trial "lets the pharma world know in no uncertain terms that we are going to push this drug forward."

Lanphier said the SB-509 trial will involve patients with moderately severe, rather than mild, neuropathy -- the group shown to benefit most from the drug in earlier trials.

The zinc finger DNA-binding protein, which may activate the DNA to create certain proteins, has great potential. [R = 16298089] The zinc finger protein that VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor) activates is SB-509. VEGF-A promotes the formation of blood vessels, nerve growth, and is protective for the nerves.^[1][2]

Sangamo is currently (2010) recruiting patients for a Phase I clinical trial in diabetic neuropathy. A Phase I trial is used to test an experimental drug for the first time in humans to evaluate the drug's safety, or to identify side effects, and to establish the maximum tolerated dose.

The information about this drug they gave related to this trial is:

SB-509 contains the gene, or DNA code, to specify a protein. When SB-509 is injected into the leg, the drug enters the muscle and nerve cells around the injection site and causes these cells to make a protein. This protein causes the cells to increase the production of another protein called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), which may improve the structure and function of nerves. This increase in VEGF may protect and repair the damage caused to nerves by diabetic neuropathy.

Jan Keppel Hesselink, MD, march 2010

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