title: Unmet medical needs and therapeutic goals in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
abstract: One of the main goals in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus is to produce near-normal glucose levels to prevent the development of diabetic complications. Available treatments do not succeed in restoring normoglycemia in the long term. The recently improved knowledge of key pathogenic mechanisms of type 2 diabetes has led to a multitude of new molecular targets. The main goal is the maintenance of beta-cell function, as its decline is the major reason for impairment in glucose tolerance over time. Other tissues or systems may also be interesting targets. No single drug is likely to reverse all aspects of the disease, but the main aim is to provide more effective, better tolerated and better patient-tailored combinations.
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Diseases Therapeutic Division, Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier, 6 place des Pleiades, 92415 Courbevoie, France. laurence.bessac@fr.netgrs.com
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bessac
mesh_terms: D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents