Bukwang Pharmaceutical said Thursday it has completed administering MLR-1023, an experimental drug for diabetes, in the phase-2b trial.

The company conducted the study on 400 patients with type-2 diabetes in 40 sites in the U.S. and 21 in Korea. After the completion of the drug administration, Bukwang will observe patients for the next four weeks and finish the trial.

Since introducing the new drug candidate in late 2013, the company finished the phase-2b trial in five years. During the period, Bukwang completed the chronic toxicity test and acquired patents worldwide.

According to the results of the phase-2a study on MLR-1023, which were announced earlier in the American Diabetes Association’s conference in the U.S., the treatment was effective in reducing postprandial blood glucose and fasting blood glucose levels. Some patients treated with the drug had a weight loss.

Bukwang expects that MLR-1023, once commercialized, could sell over 3 trillion won a year. MLR-1023 is the first-in-class drug that activates Lyn kinase, which raises insulin sensitivity.

“As we’ve almost completed the phase-2b trial on MLR-1023, anticipation for a good result of the drug is rising both at home and abroad,” an official at Bukwang Pharmaceutical said.

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