Genprex Announces Preliminary Data for GPX-002 Diabetes Gene Therapy

Genprex announced preliminary in vivo preclinical proof-of-concept data for GPX-002, the company's diabetes gene therapy drug candidate which may have the potential for long-term control of Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes, in a non-human primate model of T2D and in a mouse model of T2D. Genprex's research collaborators are conducting preclinical studies of GPX-002 in naturally occurring T2D NHP models. The first NHP was treated with a novel infusion process whereby GPX-002 is administered directly into the pancreatic duct using an adeno-associated virus vector containing the Pdx1 and MafA genes and an insulin promoter. The second NHP was treated with GPX-002 by direct injection into the pancreas. "The progression from mouse model studies into NHP studies demonstrates the progression of preclinical drug development of GPX-002 toward human clinical trials," said Mark Berger, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Genprex. "We have demonstrated proof-of-concept in Type 1 diabetic mouse models, where GPX-002 converted alpha cells into beta-like cells that appropriately produced insulin and normalized blood glucose levels, as well as in Type 2 diabetic mouse models, where beta cells are rejuvenated. Moving into NHP studies in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes has enabled us to establish critical proof-of-concept advancements in models that share significant metabolic similarities with humans."