Diabetic tests boost Cortecs
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Good test results from a new drug for diabetics sent shares in Cortecs International, the Anglo-Australian biotechnology company, soaring by 15 per cent to close at 203.5p after hitting 235p at one stage yesterday.
The company said trials for its experimental drug, Macrulin, showed "very encouraging" results which "present the real possibility of improving therapy for diabetics". The trials involved six diabetic patients.
Patients taking oral capsules containing Macrulin experienced a decline in their blood sugar levels, Cortecs said. The trial has not been completed yet, but results are due later in the year.
However, some analysts said it was too early to say how meaningful the results were. Andrew Baum, an analyst with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, said: "I am enormously sceptical of oral insulin. The precise doses required to regulate a patient's blood sugar vary, making the window for an effective dose very small."
Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone needed to process blood sugar into energy. Diabetics are either insensitive to the hormone, or have insufficient quantities of it.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments