As soon as-a-week insulin remedy may very well be game-changing for sufferers with diabetes — ScienceDaily

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Treating people with type 2 diabetes with a new once-weekly injectable insulin therapy has been shown to be safe and as effective as daily insulin injections, according to the results of two international clinical studies published online today in Diabetes Care. The studies suggest that once-weekly treatment may be a convenient alternative to the stress of daily insulin shots for diabetic patients.

Starting and maintaining insulin treatment remains a challenge for millions of patients with type 2 diabetes worldwide. The fear of injections and the inconvenience and stress of injectable therapy add to the barriers to beginning and adhering to insulin therapy. The effectiveness and safety of ongoing insulin treatment also depends heavily on other factors, such as: B. the accuracy of the dosage, timing and glycemic goals. Healthcare providers believe that decreasing the frequency of administration of treatment with advances, such as the once-weekly insulin used in these Phase 2 studies, decreases reluctance to initiate insulin therapy while reducing long-term adherence to that Glucose control and ultimately can improve the patient’s wellbeing.

Insulin, which has been the foundation of the treatment of diabetes for 100 years, is an effective glucose lowering agent and safe when used in the correct dose, “says Dr. Ildiko Lingvay, MPH, MSCS, Professor of Internal Medicine and Population Data Science at UT Southwestern. “Insulin treatment is troublesome, requires frequent injections, and continues to hold some stigma. The development of an effective and safe insulin that can be administered once a week is a great advance in this area. “

Lingvay, Novo Nordisk’s consultant, is the lead author of one of the studies in which 205 patients from seven countries (USA, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Spain) participated. The clinical trial consisted of a two-week screening period, 16-week treatment, and five-week follow-up to evaluate three different ways to adjust and optimize the insulin dose and determine which was the best balance between effectively lowering glucose during the Treatment represents minimization of low glucose events.

She is also the author of the second study, which included 154 patients from five countries (USA, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany and Italy). This study followed the same 23-week timeframe and assessed practical aspects of insulin use and the best ways to transition from a daily regimen to the new weekly insulin injections. The researchers found that starting with a higher first dose – a so-called loading dose – patients were able to achieve their optimal glucose target more quickly.

“These two studies served as a stepping stone to an extensive Phase 3 clinical trial program currently ongoing at UT Southwestern and elsewhere to evaluate the effectiveness of once-weekly insulin administration in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes “Says Lingvay. “Weekly insulin is a cornerstone of reducing the burden of treatment on patients while improving compliance. This treatment also reduces the burden of those who care for patients with diabetes who need insulin. For example, patients who need help with Need Injection: People who live in long-term care facilities and people with memory problems, insulin once a week will make treatment easier and reduce the burden on care providers. “

Novo Nordisk sponsored both studies.

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Materials provided by UT Southwestern Medical Center. Note: the content can be edited by style and length.