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| 8. Diabetes drug updates | |||
| First In Class Medication Approved for Type 2 Diabetes | |||
| The FDA has approved Invokana (canaglifozin), the first in its class of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Johnson & Johnson's new drug is used to treat type 2 diabetes in conjunction with diet and exercise.
The medication works by stopping glucose reabsorption in the kidney and promoting glucose excretion. In type 2 diabetics with high glucose levels, this 'glucuretic' medication is effective in reducing glucose and excreting glucose into the urine. Invokana has been shown to improve A1c levels and fasting glucose levels in nine clinical trials involving 10,285 type 2 diabetic patients. Another advantage shown in Phase III studies was the ability of Invokana to reduce body weight and systolic blood pressure. This medication can be taken as monotherapy or in combination with insulin, metformin, sulfonylureas, or pioglitazone. The main side effects seen in trials were urinary tract infections and vulvovaginal candidiasis due to the high amount of glucose in the urinary tract. |
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| Novo Nordisk Creates Insulin Pill | |||
| Novo Nordisk, in conjunction with Danish manufacturer Merrion Pharmaceuticals Plc., have tested oral insulin and successfully completed early stages trials. The insulin pill, known as NN1954, uses Glipet technology that allows them to make tablets/capsules of drugs that could only otherwise be given by injection. Novo Nordisk completed the first of three phases of testing that included safety, tolerability, exposure, and effect on glucose levels. The trial had 83 participants from May to October 2012 | |||
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