Department of Nutrition at Case Western Reserve University determined whether the new generation diabetes drug, sitagliptin, might be effective in pre-diabetes. Sitagliptin works by boosting the levels of an intestinal factor known as GLP-1. This factor increases insulin output while also decreasing glucagon output.

     The researchers experimented in extremely obese rats which had normal glucose after fasting but high glucose after a meal, like pre-diabetic humans. Also like pre-diabetic humans, they had excessive levels of glucagon. The pre-diabetic rats were divided into three groups and treated with either a placebo, sitagliptin, or another older diabetes medication, glyburide, which acts by boosting the production of insulin by the pancreas. Sitagliptin and glyburide were equally effective in lowering glucose levels after a meal. Surprisingly, only sitagliptin raised the total output of insulin by the pancreas and only sitagliptin lowered glucagon to normal levels.

     Group leader Paul Ernsberger, Ph.D., says, "These animal studies suggest that sitagliptin should be tested in the clinic as a possible diabetes-preventing medication.

      Sanofi-aventis announced that lixisenatide, a once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist under development for people with Type 2 diabetes, achieved its primary efficacy objective of significant HbA1c reduction and improved glycemic control from baseline versus placebo. The top-line results also showed that people treated with lixisenatide had a significant decrease in body weight.