New diabetic drugs could change the future for sufferers

Jun 13 2006

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes affects as many as 21 million Americans increasing their risk of heart attacks, kidney disease and blindness.

The most common form, Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 percent to 95 percent of the cases, and is encouraged by overweight, an inappropriate diet and a lack of exercise and as a result the body does not respond to the hormone insulin, which tells cells to take sugar from the blood.

Blood sugar levels then rise along with the risk of damage to the internal organs. In order to treat diabetes, drugs are needed to prevent excess sugar from building up in the blood, or spur the body to produce more insulin.

Two new drugs which are expected to hit the market in the U.S. in under a year, promise to be as effective as current treatments but without the side-effects.

The drugs Januvia (Merck) and Galvus (Novartis) also appear to help preserve the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, and often die off in diabetes patients.

The drugs belong to a new class of diabetes drugs called DPP-4 inhibitors and work by controlling an enzyme called dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-IV), which breaks down hormones that help control blood sugar.

A trial of Januvia over a period of a year involved 800 patients and found that the drug was superior to the currently used Glucovance (Bristol-Myers Squibb) in that patients on Januvia saw a slight weight loss, while those on Glucovance gained an average of 2.4 pounds and fewer low blood sugar episodes occurred with the new drug.

Trials with Galvus produced equally impressive results and a combo diabetes treatment of Galvus and Actos (Takeda Pharmaceutical), saw two-thirds of patients in a large trial adequately control their diabetes, while taken alone, both drugs helped only 43% of patients reach that goal.

A comparative trial with Galvus and Avandia (GlaxoSmithKline) showed that severely obese patients in the study who took Galvus managed to lose weight.

Drug company Novartis has announced that it plans to conduct a series of "mega trials," dubbed "GLORIUS," to prove the benefits of the drug.

At present there appears to be little between the two drugs but it is expected drug makers will ultimately replace medicines such as Glucovance as first-line treatments against diabetes.

A decision on Januvia is expected by the FDA by October, three months earlier than Galvus, and though both drugs are being promoted as once-a-day treatments, experts consider Januvia's one a day therapy is probably the better choice in that regard as Galvus to be as effective as Januvia needs to be taken twice a day.

The research was presented at the American Diabetes Association scientific meeting in Washington.