Diabetes Care publishes results from prevalence phase of Corcept’s CATALYST trial In people with difficult to-control type 2 diabetes- Corcept Therapeutics

Corcept Therapeutics  announced the publication of findings from the prevalence phase of the CATALYST trial in Diabetes Care, a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Diabetes Association. CATALYST was the largest and most rigorous trial ever conducted to assess the prevalence of hypercortisolism (Cushing’s syndrome) in patients with difficult-to-control type 2 diabetes. Part one of the Phase IV study (NCT05772169)  screened 1,057 patients at 36 sites across the United States. All patients had hemoglobin A1c greater than 7.5 percent, despite receiving multiple glucose-lowering therapies, including GLP-1 receptor agonists. Using a simple, standardized 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST), 24 percent of these patients were found to have hypercortisolism. These findings were first presented at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions in June 2024.

Part two of CATALYST– a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Korlym in patients with hypercortisolism and difficult-to-control type 2 diabetes – met its primary endpoint of reduction in hemoglobin A1c. Topline results were announced in December 2024, and complete results will be presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 85^th Scientific Sessions on June 23, 2025, at a symposium titled: “Treatment of Hypercortisolism in People with Difficult-to-Control Type 2 Diabetes – Final Results of the CATALYST Trial.”

" CATALYST provides valuable insights into an often-unrecognized cause of difficult-to-control type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Bill Guyer,  Corcept’s Chief Development Officer. “These prevalence data, in combination with data from the treatment phase of the study, will hopefully help patients with hypercortisolism receive the diagnosis and care they need.”

 “Many patients have uncontrolled type 2 diabetes despite the use of the best available medications,” said lead author Dr. John Buse,  director of the University of North Carolina’s Diabetes Center. “It is critical for clinicians to consider and address all factors that can contribute to inadequate glucose control. CATALYST’s results show that, for many patients, hypercortisolism is one of those factors.”

See citation- Buse JB, Kahn SE et al.  Prevalence of Hypercortisolism in Difficult-to-Control Type 2 Diabetes.  Diabetes Care 2025 Apr 18:dc242841. doi: 10.2337/dc24-2841. Online ahead of print.