MK-2640

MK-2640 is a novel glucose-responsive insulin (GRI) analog developed as an intravenously administered treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus. It is an insulin oligosaccharide conjugate that binds to and activates the insulin receptor, mediating its primary pharmacological effect. Uniquely, MK-2640 also features a secondary clearance pathway via the mannose receptor C-type 1 (MRC1), which is competitively inhibited by glucose. This competitive clearance mechanism was designed to allow the drug’s activity and systemic clearance to be modulated by ambient glucose levels—clearance increases at low or normal glucose and decreases at high glucose, theoretically reducing hypoglycemia risk. In preclinical studies, this mechanism showed promising results; however, in phase I clinical trials in humans, the expected degree of glucose-responsive clearance was not observed despite some evidence of pharmacodynamic activity. The drug was developed by Merck & Co (Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.), but further development appears to have been discontinued after early clinical evaluation[1][2][3][5][6][8].

Brand names

SmartInsulin

Other names

smart insulin