Incretin Mimetic Outperforms Sulfonylurea in Early Type 2 Diabetes

Incretin mimetics stimulate glucose-related insulin secretion, inhibit glucagon secretion, and quell appetite in patients with type 2 diabetes. Exenatide (Byetta), the only incretin-mimetic drug that is available currently in the U.S., requires twice-daily injections, although a weekly formulation is in development (JW Oct 16 2008). Liraglutide is an investigational incretin-mimetic drug that can be injected once daily.

With funding from the manufacturer of liraglutide, investigators randomized 746 patients with early type 2 diabetes to daily liraglutide (1.2 mg or 1.8 mg) or the sulfonylurea glimepiride (8 mg). Mean baseline glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) and fasting plasma glucose levels were 8.2% and 171 mg/dL, respectively. After 1 year…