Will Roche have the first PPAR agonist?

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ): "Roche Diabetes Drug in Late-Stage Test"

Will Roche be the first with a dual PPAR agonists? Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) like Avandia (rosiglitazone) and Actos (pioglitazone) bind to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). Several new thiazolidinediones are being investigated as "dual PPAR agonists." One such compound is aleglitazar (made by Roche). My gut tells me that they won't be marketed as TZDs. "Dual PPAR Agonist" sounds better, doesn't it?

A few years ago, AstraZeneca stopped R&D on a similar drug, Galida (tesaglitazar), while Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) stopped work on a drug called Pargluva (muraglitazar). TZDs just haven't had much luck, have they? Remember Rezulin (troglitazone)? It was the first TZD and it got pulled from the market because of liver problems.

ADA 69th Scientific Sessions

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is having its 69th Scientific Sessions this week. The conference began on June 5 and will run until June 9. I'm eager to see what types of advances will be revealed this year. The ADA is also using Twitter to post updates, but I don't see many people following @AmDiabetesAssn or @SciSessions2009. Do you use Twitter? Follow @DrJosephKim to all my updates.

Some of the hot issues seem to focus on:

• Using HbA1c to diagnose diabetes. How often do you check HbA1c in patients who don't have diabetes? Some are using that test to screen patients for elevated glucose levels. Is that warranted? Is there a role for using HbA1c to diagnose diabetes? Is the HbA1c better than a fasting glucose test or the glucose tolerance test?
  
• Final results from the RECORD (Rosiglitazone Evaluated for Cardiac Outcomes and Regulation of Glycaemia in Diabetes) study. Rosiglitazone (Avandia) may increase heart failure, but does it increase mortality? The answer appears to be "no."
  

I hope that New Orleans is making a recovery from Katrina. I've seen many medical meetings take place in New Orleans over the last few years, so hopefully that is helping some of the businesses in that city.