New Insulin Drug to Reduce Frequency of Injections in Diabetes Patients
A study funded by manufacturer Novo Nordisk, and published in The Lancet, indicated that the drug degludec showed potential in reducing the frequency of insulin injections in type 1 diabetes patents.
The study documented the result of phase II trials of the drug, which consisted of the random assignment of receiving the drug metformin orally, in conjunction with any of the following regimens: degludec insulin once a day, degludec three times a week, or Lantus once a day for 16 weeks. Lantus (glargine), manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis, is the most widely used long-acting insulin. Study participants consisted of 245 adults with diabetes, or HbA1c levels between 7% and 11%.
The results of the study indicated that patients who were injected with degludec three times a week exhibited controlled blood sugar level as effective as daily injections of Lantus, and similar reductions in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) compared to daily injections of Lantus.
In addition, it was determined that the rates of hypoglycemia were at their lowest in patients who took degludec once a day, despite the fact that the rates were generally lower across all treatment groups.
Professor Bernard Zinman, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, gave the following comment: “Because of its ultra-long action profile, insulin degludec injected three times weekly appears to provide similar glucose control to insulin glargine once daily. This new basal insulin analogue might be a valuable addition to clinical practice…However the safety, efficacy, and optimum use of treatment regimens for insulin degludec will need to be established in larger phase 3 trials.”
Tags: diabetes, diabetes injection, diabetes treatment, insulin diabetes, insulin injection
