New drug useful for poorly controlled diabetes

The investigational drug alogliptin alone is a safe and effective treatment for poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, according to study findings reported in the journal Diabetes Care.

Alogliptin has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels after meals in patients with type 2 diabetes, Dr. Ralph A. DeFronzo at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and colleagues note.

For the current study, the researchers recruited 329 participants who had type 2 diabetes that was inadequately controlled with diet and exercise and had never received an anti-diabetes drug. The subjects, who were 53 years of age, on average, were randomly assigned to receive alogliptin, at one of two doses, or inactive “placebo.”

Both doses were comparable and significantly better than placebo at reducing blood sugar levels.

Most side effects were mild or moderate, and rates of excessively low blood sugar levels were similar across treatment groups.

Because skin and finger/toe lesions had been seen in earlier studies of drugs like alogliptin, DeFronzo’s team monitored participants for skin-related adverse events. Although low overall, the rate of such events was higher with alogliptin than with placebo.

The researchers concluded that “the efficacy and safety of alogliptin…were comparable with those of (related drugs). Alogliptin represents an effective treatment option whether given alone or in combination with (other anti-diabetes) agents.”

SOURCE: Diabetes Care, December 2008.