UPDATE 1-Isis Pharma diabetes drug shows promise in mid-stage
* Drug shows significant reductions in glucose level
* Drug also lowered levels of LDL cholesterol
* Shares up 3 pct in after-mkt trade
Oct 21 (Reuters) - Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc (ISIS.O) said its experimental diabetes drug showed consistent and statistically significant reduction in glucose levels in a mid-stage trial, sending its shares up 3 percent.
The drug, called ISIS 113715, also caused statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in bad LDL cholesterol, the company said in a statement.
The trial was testing the drug in 76 evaluable patients with well-established type 2 diabetes who had uncontrolled blood sugar despite treatment with stable doses of sulfonylurea -- the standard-of-care.
Type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body does not make enough insulin or is unable to use the insulin, is linked with poor diet and lack of exercise and accounts for about 90 percent of all worldwide cases of diabetes.
Isis said the drug was well tolerated with mild injection site reactions.
Shares of the company were up 3 percent to $13.72 in after-hours trade. They closed at $13.27 Wednesday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Esha Dey in Bangalore; Editing by Aradhana Aravindan)
