Study - BYETTA better than insulin glargine in treating type 2 diabetes

Results of a study conducted by Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Eli Lilly & Co. have shown that BYETTA (exenatide) injection shows comparatively better results than insulin glargine treatment in people with type 2 diabetes.

The two pharmaceutical companies announced the findings in the 67th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in Chicago. Treatment with BYETTA, they said, showed a marked improvement in blood sugar control, weight loss and a lower incidence of hypoglycemia.

The open-label crossover study of 114 people with type 2 diabetes also involved taking of two commonly used oral medications.

In the comparison 5 mcg of BYETTA administered for 4 weeks and 10 mcg for 12 weeks along with oral medication (metformin or sulfonylurea) with treatment with insulin glargine was taken into account. Measured by A1 C reductions, treatment with BYETTA as compared to treatment with insulin glargine showed a blood sugar control of 1:43 percent and 1:41 percent respectively. Even in the case of hypoglycemia, BYETTA treatment with metformin showed a lower risk (2.6 percent) as compared to treatment with insulin glargine with metformin (17.4 percent). In addition to that, there were seven episodes of severe hypoglycemia in three patients taking insulin glargine while none were reported with those taking BYETTA.

In case of weight loss too, BYETTA showed better results than insulin glargine. A total of 5.7 pounds were lost from baseline by those taking BYETTA while those taking insulin glargine showed a total weight gain of 1.3 pounds. Side effects shown by BYETTA were consistent with previous studies. The most common being mild-to-moderate nausea, which decreases over time.

“Adding BYETTA to oral medication to achieve target blood sugar control levels can be an important next step in the management of type 2 diabetes” said Dr. Michael Trautmann, a lead investigator of the study and Medical Fellow of Eli Lilly and Company. “This study shows that adding BYETTA to oral medication before insulin use may help people with type 2 diabetes obtain the same glucose control as insulin and yet lose weight with reduced risk of hypoglycemia.”

BYETTA comes from a class of drugs called incretin mimetics that are used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. BYETTA is quite similar to human incretin hormone like peptide-1 (GLP-1) when it comes to improving blood sugar after food intake. The FDA has approved BYETTA for controlling blood sugar levels. It is used in addition with metformin, a sulfonylurea, or a thiazolidinedione. However, it is not a substitute for insulin in people whose diabetes requires insulin treatment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, approximately 60 percent of people with diabetes do not achieve their target blood sugar levels with their current treatment regimen.

BYETTA has proved successful in sustained A1C control, low incidence of hypoglycemia when used with metformin, sulfonylurea or thiazolidinedione, and progressive weight loss. However, it has limitations too. It cannot be used by patients with severe stomach or digestion problems as well as patients suffering from severe kidney disease. Women, before using BYETTA, should inform their healthcare providers whether they are pregnant, planning to get pregnant or are breastfeeding. BYETTA has not been used on children as yet.