Sirona Biochem Corp, a biotechnology company specializing in carbohydrate-based molecules, including therapeutics for diabetes and obesity, announced it has contracted Roowin to scale up a key intermediate for its lead diabetes drug candidate, a Sodium GLucose Transporter (SGLT) inhibitor. Roowin is a privately owned Contract Research Organization (CRO) headquartered in Paris, France. Its core business is in high value-added fine chemistry. Roowin will bring expanded capabilities to Sirona Biochem’s research and help accelerate the preclinical development of its lead candidate for type 2 diabetes.

“Recent positive preclinical data of our lead SGLT-2 inhibitor demonstrates that we are on the right track in developing a new type 2 diabetes treatment and by scaling up this key intermediate we can speed up our preclinical process,” said Sirona Biochem President Mark Senner. “Further research will also be used to validate this proprietary chemistry technique and explore the possibilities of this exciting technology,” he added.

Sirona Biochem is developing Sodium GLucose Transporter (SGLT) inhibitors in addition to other carbohydrate-based molecules. SGLT-2s are responsible for glucose re-absorption from the kidneys into the bloodstream. This process contributes to elevated levels of glucose in a person with type 2 diabetes. SGLT-2 inhibitors reduce the excess glucose from entering the bloodstream by releasing the glucose into the urine and, as a result, may help control type 2 diabetes.

SGLT-2 inhibitors are carbohydrate-based molecules, which tend to be difficult to develop. Sirona Biochem applies an advanced chemistry method to stabilize and improve the properties of carbohydrate-based molecules, including our SGLT-2 inhibitor. With more than 220 million diabetics globally, the diabetes treatment market generated an estimated US$25 billion annually and is growing rapidly.

Sirona Biochem is a biotechnology company specializing in carbohydrate-based chemistry. Our lead product is a Sodium GLucose Transporter (SGLT) inhibitor for type 2 diabetes. With our partner TFChem of France, we are using a proprietary chemistry technique to improve the pharmaceutical qualities of these SGLT-2 inhibitors. It is our aim to develop a best-in-class diabetes treatment. In August 2010, Sirona Biochem announced it had signed a binding preliminary agreement to acquire France-based TFChem.