Glucose-controlling metformin, the generic drug that is the first medication that many newly diagnosed type 2s take, could soon be available in a chewing gum.



That s the hope held by Massachusetts-based Generex Biotechnology Corp., which has announced that it is ready to test its proprietary metformin chewing gum product, MetControl , on 36 volunteer patients. In the study, Generex will compare the speed and efficacy of MetControl to that of immediate-release metformin tablets.



Metformin is the most prescribed drug for type 2 patients. Nevertheless, many of people with diabetes avoid using it because of gastrointestinal side effects, its large pill size and a bitter taste. These factors are especially off-putting to the increasing number of children being diagnosed with type 2.



Generex believes that the delivery of metformin in a good-tasting chewing gum will make the drug more acceptable to these patients and thereby increase adherence with diabetes therapy.



Because metformin is safe, well known and well established, the company does not anticipate taking as long a time to come to market with MetControl as a product containing a new active compound. Such products typically must undergo stringent testing that can last years.

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Highlights: Generex Biotechnology