Daewoong's diabetes drug Envlo shows potential to improve metabolic functions

Daewoong Pharmaceutical said Wednesday that it presented the results of a study confirming the potential of Envlo (enavogliflozin), a new SGLT-2 inhibitor, to improve metabolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes at The Obesity Society (TOS)’s ObesityWeek 2024 in San Antonio, Texas, from Nov. 3 to 6.

The study showed that Envlo increased adiponectin and decreased leptin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Daewoong Pharmaceutical explained that this confirms Envlo's potential to improve insulin resistance and glycemic control in these patients.

Adiponectin and leptin are proteins that affect human metabolism. Promoting adiponectin secretion or reducing leptin secretion can improve insulin resistance. In general, patients with metabolic diseases, including obesity, tend to have lower levels of adiponectin and higher levels of leptin than healthy individuals.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 160 patients with type 2 diabetes to investigate the effects of Envlo on adiponectin and leptin.

After 24 weeks of treatment with Envlo or placebo, adiponectin and leptin levels were measured to profile improvements in adipocyte function. The results showed that patients taking Envlo experienced a 1.25 mg/L increase in adiponectin and a decrease of 2.36 μg/L in leptin in leptin from baseline.

Daewoong attributed the improvement in leptin levels to Envlo's “sugar expulsion” effect. Envlo binds to the SGLT-2 protein for longer to help release sugar, and it does so at a lower dose of 0.3 mg, one-third the dose of the same class of drugs.

“Envlo has been shown to improve adiponectin and leptin levels, which improves adipocyte dysfunction and insulin resistance,” said Professor Lyu Young-sang from Chosun University College of Medicine, who presented the study. “It may provide additional benefits to patients with type 2 diabetes, not only in terms of blood glucose reduction but also in improving metabolic function.”