BETHESDA, Md. — Good results from an investigational diabetes drug made by Spherix may result from higher body mass indexes among U.S. patients, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial announced Thursday.

Spherix said results of the phase-3 trial conducted among American and Indian patients indicated that D-tagatose may be more effective in lowering HbA1c levels due to Americans having higher BMIs on average than Indians.

“Tagatose appears to be more effective in Type 2 diabetes patients with adipocyte dysfunction that no longer permits the adipocytes to act appropriately as an endocrine organ controlling HbA1c,” Spherix president Robert Lodder said.