No adverse glucose effects found with Livalo

No significant adverse effects on parameters of fasting blood glucose, HbA1c or new-onset diabetes were found with treatment with Livalo compared with placebo, according to results from a late-breaking abstract presented at the 83rd European Atherosclerosis Society Congress.

“This new meta-analysis confirms the results of our previously presented retrospective and prospective prespecified data on glucose parameters for [Livalo (pitavastatin, Kowa Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)] from our phase 3 and phase 4 clinical studies,” Craig Sponseller, MD, vice president of medical affairs at Kowa Pharaceuticals America, Inc., said in the release. “Importantly, this analysis included doses ranging from 1 mg to as high as 8 mg, and the results suggest there is no dose-dependent relationship.”

Through a meta-analysis of 15 randomized uncontrolled studies that evaluated 4,815 patients without diabetes, researchers found no significant differences associated with the drug compared with placebo or other statins for fasting blood glucose, HbA1c or new-onset diabetes.

“Current guidelines emphasize appropriate statin selection for patients with hypercholesterolemia,” Ben Stakely, CEO and president of Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., said in the release. “It is important for health care providers and patients to discuss therapeutic options and relevant clinical data like this to best approach individual treatment and patient-centric care, particularly for those at risk for cardiovascular disease.”