Founded in 1996, Diamyd Medical AB (OMX: DIAM B ; OTCQX: DMYDY), is an emerging and global life science group based in Stockholm, Sweden with a subsidiary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Central to Diamyd’s research is the GAD gene, which should notably form the basis for a vaccine for autoimmune diabetes. Elisabeth Lindner, President and CEO for Diamyd, talks to us about how their drug development work is progressing. Mrs. Lindner, who was appointed President and CEO of Diamyd in December of last year, brings to the table 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She notably previously worked as a consultant, with Diamyd as one of her clients. Mrs. Lindner explains that there are two sides to Diamyd’s current business: the company is working towards finding a GAD-based cure for autoimmune diabetes. In the diabetes area, Diamyd Medical more specifically develops drugs to prevent or inhibit the autoimmune attack against insulin secreting beta cells. This enhances the likelihood of a positive efficacy and safety profile of the Diamyd® treatment. Diamyd currently develops therapeutics from two independent platform technologies. One of these platforms relies on the GAD65 molecule and the other on a viral delivery system of proteins to nervous tissue (Nerve Targeted Drug Delivery System, NTDDS). Therapeutics for conditions other than diabetes are also being developed using these platforms. Diamyd Medical´s furthest developed project is the glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65)-based vaccine Diamyd® for autoimmune diabetes. GAD65 is a major autoantigen in autoimmune diabetes and the Diamyd® vaccine is intended to induce immunotolerisation. Diamyd® has demonstrated significant and positive results in a Phase II clinical trial in recent onset type 1 diabetes patients in Sweden. Apart from being a major autoantigen in autoimmune diabetes, GAD65 is also an enzyme that converts the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate to the inhibitory transmitter GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid). In this context, GAD may play an important role not only in treating diabetes, but also in treating several central nervous system-related diseases. Interesting to note in that respect, Diamyd Medical has sublicensed its University of California at Los Angeles, UCLA, GAD65 Composition of Matter license to Neurologix Inc. for treatment of Parkinson’s disease with an AAV-vector. Neurologix recently reported that they have initiated a Phase II study with the GAD-gene within Parkinson’s disease, which obviously is good news for Diamyd as it proves that GAD can be used within additional therapeutic areas, not only within diabetes. Meanwhile however, Diamyd Medical continues to profile itself as a diabetes company. “In three years time we should have our first product for type 1 diabetes on the market,” adds Mrs. Lindner. “Phase II results so far have been very encouraging.” top - home