More Information on the Diabetes Drug Canagliflozin

For diabetes treatment, the newest kid on the block is canagliflozin (Invokana), which lowers blood glucose levels by decreasing renal tubular reabsorption of glucose and increasing urinary glucose excretion. In this double-blind, industry-sponsored trial, researchers randomized 756 patients with longstanding type 2 diabetes — all of whom were taking metformin plus sulfonylurea — to receive add-on therapy with canagliflozin or sitagliptin (Januvia). All participants had glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) levels between 7.0% and 10.5%.

At 1 year, HbA_1c was slightly lower with canagliflozin than with sitagliptin (reductions of 1.03% vs. 0.66%). Mean body weight fell by 3 kg with canagliflozin and was unchanged with sitagliptin. Adverse effects we…