Metabolic Solutions Development Company CEO Stephen Benoit to Present at 2nd Annual BIO Convention in China

BIO China to be held October 24-25 in Shanghai

KALAMAZOO, Mich., Oct. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Metabolic Solutions Development Company, LLC (MSDC) CEO Stephen Benoit will be presenting an overview of the company's business at the 2nd annual BIO Convention taking place October 24-25 in China. Hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the Convention will bring together executives from biotechnology, pharmaceutical companies and investment firms from North America, Europe and Asia to meet and explore business opportunities with China's emerging biotech sector. Mr. Benoit will present on Thursday, October 25 at 9:30 a.m. in Function Room 3 at the Kerry Hotel in Pudong, Shanghai.

MSDC is developing novel small molecules (mTOT Modulators) to treat metabolic diseases associated with age-related mitochondrial dysfunction, especially insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. An estimated $35 billion is spent on non-insulin anti-diabetic drugs. Yet, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of people using these drugs will not have their diabetes controlled.1 Only insulin sensitizers treat a root cause of diabetes – insulin resistance. Working through a newly identified drug target (mTOT™), mTOT Modulator insulin sensitizers have the potential to be significantly differentiated from currently marketed therapies, and are on track to become the first new insulin sensitizers approved since 1999.

MSDC Compounds in Development
MSDC's novel insulin sensitizing agents selectively modulate mTOT, a newly identified protein complex located in the inner mitochondrial membrane that connects mitochondrial metabolism to carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism. This new drug target may also play a role in other diseases of aging such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, as well certain genetic diseases such as polycystic kidney disease.

Data from recently completed Phase 2 clinical studies of a prototype mTOT Modulator™, MSDC-0160, as well as a Phase 2 clinical study in diabetic patients of a second generation mTOT Modulator, MSDC-0602, showed that the compounds were safe, well-tolerated and significantly lowered glucose and hemoglobin A1c without the side effects associated with pioglitazone, the only approved insulin sensitizer still being prescribed widely by physicians.

MSDC-0160 also is being studied in a Phase 2a trial at Rush University Medical Center (Chicago) in patients diagnosed with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. The study is funded by the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation. In addition, the compound is being investigated in animal models of polycystic kidney disease in collaboration with the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation.

About Metabolic Solutions Development Company
Metabolic Solutions Development Company (www.msdrx.com) is a drug discovery and development company investigating novel molecular targets and developing new therapeutics to treat metabolic diseases associated with age-related mitochondrial dysfunction, especially insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

1 http://www.fiercebiotech.com/special-reports/top-diabetes-drug-pipelines-2012

SOURCE Metabolic Solutions Development Company