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Liraglutide tied to benefits in type 1 diabetes

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ENDO 2011

BOSTON — Initially developed as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, liraglutide appears to also lead to better glycemic control and considerable weight loss in patients with type 1 diabetes, according to research presented here.

Researchers discussed the results of a study of 14 patients with well-controlled type 1 diabetes on continuous glucose monitoring and intensive insulin therapy. The patients experienced significant decreases in mean fasting glucose (130 mg/dL to 100 mg/dL) and mean weekly glucose concentrations (138 mg/dL to 115 mg/dL) within 1 week of starting treatment with liraglutide (Victoza, Novo Nordisk). Basal insulin and bolus insulin doses also dropped considerably during the treatment period (25 U daily to 17 U daily and 23 U daily to 16 U daily, respectively).

During a press conference, Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD, professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo, said even patients with well-controlled type 1 diabetes still experience significant oscillations in blood glucose concentrations. Liraglutide, however, appeared to reduce these oscillations, with the weekly coefficient of variation for glucose concentrations decreasing from 39.6 to 22.6.

“What is exciting is that this effect is observed in the first 24 to 48 hours of treatment,” Dandona said.

Glycemic control persisted for patients who remained on liraglutide for 24 weeks. These patients also experienced significant weight loss (68 kg to 63.5 kg) and decreases in mean HbA1c (6.5% to 6.1%).

“Since [insulin’s inception], we have made smarter insulins, such as analogues and pens, but type 1 diabetes remained like a wild horse that needs to be tamed,” Dandona said. “With this, we may now have the possibility of taming the wild horse by attacking one of the pathological mechanisms of the disease.”

Dandona also said other studies and a large, multicenter, randomized trial examining liraglutide’s safety and efficacy in patients with type 1 diabetes are being planned.

For more information:

• Varanasi A. #OR07-5. Presented at: The Endocrine Society 93rd Annual Meeting & Expo; June 4-7, 2011; Boston.

Disclosure: Dr. Dandona is a principal investigator for GlaxoSmithKline and a clinical researcher for Sanofi-Aventis. He is also a speaker for Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis and Sanofi-Aventis.

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