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Lixisenatide safe for older adults with type 2 diabetes
Lixisenatide is safe and effective for controlling HbA1c and reducing weight and 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose in older adults with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with their current antidiabetic medication, study data show.
Graydon S. Meneilly, MD, professor in the department of medicine, University of British Columbia in Canada, and colleagues evaluated data from the GetGoal-O Randomized Trial on 350 adults (mean age, 74.2 years) with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with their current antidiabetic treatment regimen randomly assigned to the once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist lixisenatide (Adlyxin, Sanofi) 20 µg (n = 176) or placebo (n = 174) before breakfast concomitantly with their existing antidiabetic therapy for 24 weeks. Researchers sought to determine the efficacy and safety of lixisenatide compared with placebo.
Mean HbA1c levels were lower in the lixisenatide group at 24 weeks (7.36%) compared with the placebo group (8.01%; P < .0001).
From baseline to week 24, the lixisenatide group had greater decreases in 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose (P < .0001) and body weight (P < .0001) compared with the placebo group.
No significant differences were found between the groups for the decrease in fasting plasma glucose. The lixisenatide group required rescue therapy during the study period less frequently (2.9%) than the placebo group (10.4%). Both groups experienced reductions in basal insulin requirement; however, the decrease was 1.67 units greater in the lixisenatide group than in the placebo group. The lixisenatide group was nearly three times more likely to experience a decrease in HbA1c of more than 5% and to have no documented symptomatic hypoglycemia compared with the placebo group at the end of the study.
The lixisenatide group had more reported hypoglycemia whether symptomatic or asymptomatic (17.6%) compared with the placebo group (10.3%).
Rates of reported treatment-emergent adverse events were similar between the two groups.
“Lixisenatide showed superiority over placebo in HbA1c reduction and [postprandial plasma glucose] control in patients with diabetes aged 70 years who were inadequately controlled with other antihyperglycemic therapy,” the researchers wrote. “No unexpected safety findings are reported. Therefore, lixisenatide can be considered a valuable option for treating older, nonfrail patients with type 2 diabetes with uncontrolled glycemia on their current antidiabetic treatment.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The study was funded by Sanofi. Meneilly reports receiving research support from Sanofi and consultant fees from Merck and Sanofi. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.