V-Go for type 2 diabetes
The V-Go(Valeritas) is a small disposable manual insulin-delivery device that is cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in adult diabetic patients who require insulin. It attaches directly to the skin and delivers insulin via an inserted needle.
Three versions of the device deliver 20, 30, or 40 units of basal insulin evenly over 24 hours. The wearer clicks a button to deliver mealtime insulin boluses, at 2 units per click.
While V-Go might be appropriate for some patients with type 1 diabetes as an alternative to multiple daily injections, it is primarily designed for type 2 diabetes.
New drug for Dyslipidemia
RepathaTM (evolocumab) is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). PCSK9 is a protein that targets LDL receptors for degradation and thereby reduces the liver's ability to remove LDL-C, from the blood. Repatha, being developed by Amgen scientists, is designed to bind to PCSK9 and inhibit PCSK9 from binding to LDL receptors on the liver surface. In the absence of PCSK9, there are more LDL receptors on the surface of the liver to remove LDL-C from the blood. Stairs instead of elevators at the workplace decreases PCSK9 levels in a healthy population. The FDA has provisionally approved the use of the trade name Repatha. Approximately 27,500 Patients are Now Fully Enrolled in FOURIER Trial Designed to Evaluate if Repatha in Combination With Statin Therapy Reduces the Risk of Cardiovascular Events.
Saxenda found effective for Obesity
Results from the SCALE study, a year-long randomized trial showed more than 63% of patients on Saxenda (liraglutide) lost at least 5% of their body weight versus 27% of the placebo group. According to the study, which appeared in the July 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
In the study of 3,731 patients, those on liraglutide lost an average of 8.4±7.3 kg of body weight, and those in the placebo group lost an average of 2.8±6.5 kg (P<0.001). Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor and is approved as Victoza for treating type 2 diabetes, and has been reformulated as Saxenda for weight loss.