Cadila Healthcare Ltd has filed another IND (Investigational New Drug) application for the New Molecular Entity (NME) - ZYH2 with the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The novel agent for treating diabetes has been designed and developed by Zydus Research Centre, the research wing of the company.

According to the company release, 'ZY H2', has displayed a unique profile in pre-clinical studies. The NME has the potential to improve insulin resistance and lower blood glucose in diabetic conditions without causing hypoglycemia. It also works favourably to lower the elevated lipid levels.

In recent times, glitazones (resiglitazone and pioglitazone) have been launched to treat increasing prevalence of insulin resistance in Type - II diabetes. The pre-clinical studies on ZYH2 indicate that this NME may be more effective for diabetics by improving insulin resistance and lowering blood glucose levels without causing hypoglycemia and in also controlling the elevated tryglycerides level which is commonly found in such patients and may require specific intervention. Added the release.

NME Research is one of the three focus areas of Zydus Research Programme. Under this, the focus has been on metabolic disorders, which includes dyslipidemia, diabetes and obesity and Inflammatory disorders. With this filing, Zydus Cadila has filed three INDs - ZYH1, ZYH and ZYH2. The NME - ZYH1 has now entered phase 2 clinical trials.

It is estimated that there are 30 to 33 million diabetics in India now, and every fourth diabetic in the world today is an Indian. Indians are genetically more susceptible to diabetes and the World Health Organisation predicts the number of diabetics in India would go up to 40 million by 2010 and 74 million by 2025, making it the diabetes capital of the world.