Mitochondrial Redox Modulation in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Imeglimin vs. Metformin Monotherapy

Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phasePhase 4
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorMansoura University

About this trial

he goal of this clinical trial is to compare the mitochondrial redox effects of imeglimin versus metformin monotherapy in adults with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes mellitus who are treatment-naive. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does imeglimin improve the fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio (a validated surrogate of mitochondrial NAD⁺/NADH redox balance) to a greater extent than metformin after 12 weeks of treatment? Does imeglimin produce more favorable changes in secondary mitochondrial and glycemic biomarkers - including fasting plasma lactate, fasting plasma pyruvate, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, and lipid profile - compared to metformin?

Researchers will compare imeglimin 1000 mg twice daily to metformin up to 1000 mg twice daily to see if imeglimin produces superior improvement in mitochondrial oxidative capacity and cytoplasmic redox balance, reflected by a greater increase in the fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio, without compromising glycemic efficacy or safety.

Participants will:

Take either imeglimin 1000 mg twice daily or metformin (titrated up to 1000 mg twice daily) orally for 12 weeks, as assigned by randomization Attend clinic visits at baseline (Week 0) and at Week 12 for fasting blood sample collection, including strict bedside deproteinization of pyruvate samples using ice-cold perchloric acid to ensure analytical accuracy Undergo measurement of fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, fasting plasma lactate, fasting plasma pyruvate, and full lipid profile at both visits Be monitored for adverse events and safety parameters, including renal function (eGFR), throughout the study period

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Age 18 or more inclusive, male or female.

Confirmed diagnosis of T2DM within the preceding 12 months prior to screening, established by ADA or WHO criteria: fasting plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL on two separate occasions, and/or 2-hour OGTT plasma glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL, and/or HbA1c ≥ 6.5%, and/or random plasma glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL with classic hyperglycemic symptoms.

HbA1c between 6.5% and 7.5 % inclusive at screening.

Treatment-naive: no prior antidiabetic pharmacological treatment, or any prior antidiabetic treatment discontinued at least 3 months before screening.

Disqualifiers

Type 1 diabetes mellitus, Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA), or other specific types of diabetes (anti-GAD antibody positivity, monogenic diabetes).

HbA1c >7.5 gm%

eGFR < 45 mL/min/1.73m² - increase risk of drug accumulation and lactic acidosis.

Hepatic impairment defined as ALT or AST > 2.5 times the upper limit of normal at screening. Hepatic dysfunction independently elevates plasma lactate by impairing lactate clearance and pyruvate metabolism, confounding the primary endpoint.

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Imeglimin

    Drug

    Imeglimin 1000 mg tablet orally twice daily with meals for 12 weeks without titration. Imeglimin is a first-in-class triazine antidiabetic agent that enhances mitochondrial Complex I and III activity, reduces mitochondrial ROS, and augments NAD⁺ regeneration, hypothesized to increase the fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio by restoring cytoplasmic NAD⁺/NADH redox balance. Metformin hydrochloride immediate-release tablet initiated at 500 mg twice daily for 2 weeks then increased to 1000 mg twice daily from Week 3 through Week 12, taken with meals. Metformin inhibits mitochondrial Complex I, impairing NADH oxidation and shifting the LDH equilibrium toward lactate production, expected to reduce the fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio. Both agents are compared at equivalent final daily doses of 2000 mg in treatment-naive newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes patients.

  • Metformin 1000 mg Oral Tablet

    Drug

    meglimin 1000 mg tablet orally twice daily with meals for 12 weeks without titration. Imeglimin is a first-in-class triazine antidiabetic agent that enhances mitochondrial Complex I and III activity, reduces mitochondrial ROS, and augments NAD⁺ regeneration, hypothesized to increase the fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio by restoring cytoplasmic NAD⁺/NADH redox balance. Metformin hydrochloride immediate-release tablet initiated at 500 mg twice daily for 2 weeks then increased to 1000 mg twice daily from Week 3 through Week 12, taken with meals. Metformin inhibits mitochondrial Complex I, impairing NADH oxidation and shifting the LDH equilibrium toward lactate production, expected to reduce the fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio. Both agents are compared at equivalent final daily doses of 2000 mg in treatment-naive newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes patients.

Treatment groups

176 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: metformin armActive comparator 1 intervention
Group B: Imeglimin armExperimental treatment 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

To compare the change in fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio from baseline (Week 0) to the end of the treatment period (Week 12) between patients with newly diagnosed T2DM randomized to imeglimin monotherapy versus metformin monotherapy.

Change (Delta) in fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio from Week 0 (Baseline) to Week 12 (end of treatment period).

Time frame
Mitochondrial redox and metabolic assessments will be performed at baseline (Week 0) and at the end of the treatment period (Week 12).
2

Change (Delta) in fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio from Week 0 (Baseline) to Week 12 (end of treatment period).

To compare the change in fasting plasma pyruvate/lactate ratio from baseline (Week 0) to the end of the treatment period (Week 12) between patients with newly diagnosed T2DM randomized to imeglimin monotherapy versus metformin monotherapy

Time frame
12 weeks

Secondary outcomes

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

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