Promising data on insulin degludec and LY2605541 at EASD meeting

New data presented yesterday at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), being held in Berlin, Germany, show that patients with type 2 diabetes starting insulin therapy had a 43% lower rate of night-time hypoglycemia when using Danish diabetes major Novo Nordisk’s (NOV: N) insulin degludec compared with those using insulin glargine (0.27 [insulin degludec] versus 0.46 [insulin glargine] episodes per patient per year, p<0.001) with equivalent improvements in glucose control.

In this two-year (one year initial and one year extension) Phase IIIa study, comparing the efficacy and safety of once-daily insulin degludec versus once-daily insulin glargine (both in combination with OADs), the rates of overall hypoglycemia were similar between the two groups (1.72 [insulin degludec] versus 2.05 [insulin glargine] episodes per patient per year, p=NS). Furthermore, while the rates of severe hypoglycemia were infrequent, they were significantly lower with insulin degludec compared with insulin glargine (0.01 [insulin degludec] versus 0.02 [insulin glargine] episodes per patient per year, p=0.02). This randomised, open-label, treat-to-target study included 1,030 patients with type 2 diabetes not previously treated with insulin, of which 659 completed two years of treatment.

“Hypoglycemia, and particularly night-time hypoglycemia, is a major concern for people living with diabetes and the principal limiting factor to effective glucose control, thereby increasing their risk of long-term complications,” said Helena Rodbard, lead author and medical director, Endocrine and Metabolic Consultants, Rockville, Maryland, USA, adding: “The reduction in rates of nocturnal hypoglycaemia with insulin degludec will hopefully allay some of this concern and encourage patients and physicians to aim for more ambitious glucose targets.”