Design of a novel long-acting insulin analogs by acetylation modification and compared with insulin Icodec

Insulin is a potent medication for managing diabetes, yet its short half-life requires daily administration. Currently, Novo Nordisk's icodec is the sole Insulin available on the market that requires administration only once a week. Insulin icodec, developed by Novo Nordisk through amino acid mutations and fatty acid side chain modifications, has demonstrated the capability to control blood glucose levels on a once-weekly basis. To improve its efficacy, we modified the acylation side chain of icodec to generate Insulin analogs appropriate for weekly dosing. A promising Insulin analog, TBE001-A-S033, was synthesized and conjugated, and its efficacy was assessed in ICR and db/db mice. TBE001-A-S033 prolonged blood glucose control in ICR mice and exhibited a comparable blood glucose trend to Insulin icodec in db/db mice. These findings suggest that TBE001-A-S033 possesses a favorable hypoglycemic effect and a differential half-life across species compared to Insulin icodec, indicating its potential for once-weekly use in humans. This preclinical investigation indicates that TBE001-A-S033 may serve as an effective therapeutic for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Fatty acid; Insulin analogs; Long-acting.