title: Saxagliptin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: focus on recent studies.
abstract: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are a class of oral antidiabetic drugs that improve glycemic control without causing weight gain or increasing hypoglycemic risk in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The efficacy and tolerability of saxagliptin, a once-daily DPP-4 inhibitor, administered as monotherapy, as add-on therapy to metformin, a sulfonylurea, or a thiazolidinedione, and as initial combination therapy with metformin, was demonstrated in pivotal 24-week clinical trials. Additional information about the clinical profile of saxagliptin was recently obtained from extension studies, head-to-head clinical trials, and post-hoc analyses. In extension studies, the efficacy and tolerability of add-on saxagliptin and initial saxagliptin-plus-metformin therapy were maintained for up to 102 weeks. Saxagliptin plus metformin was shown to be non-inferior to glipizide plus metformin in lowering glycated hemoglobin from base-line, with reduced body-weight and lower hypoglycemic risk. Post-hoc analyses indicate that the clinical benefits of saxagliptin extend across demographic subgroups and special populations. A meta-analysis found no evidence for increased cardiovascular risk in T2DM patients exposed to saxagliptin for > 1 year. On the basis of this clinical profile, saxagliptin is an attractive option for initial and add-on therapy for T2DM patients with inadequate glycemic control.
authors: Diabetes & Glandular Disease Clinic, 5107 Medical Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. slschwartz@dgdclinic.com
authors: Sherwyn L
authors: SL
authors: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000218:Adamantane / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054873:Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D004151:Dipeptides; D054873:Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; C502994:saxagliptin; D000218:Adamantane