title: Albiglutide: A once-weekly glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety, dosage and administration, and place in therapy of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist albiglutide are reviewed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Albiglutide (Tanzeum, GlaxoSmithKline) is an injectable GLP-1 agonist approved in 2014 for use as an adjunct to diet modification and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Albiglutide augments glucose-dependent insulin secretion and slows gastric emptying; it has an elimination half-life of approximately five days, allowing for once-weekly administration. Clinical trials demonstrated mean absolute reductions in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values of 0.78-1.55% after 16 weeks of adjunctive therapy with albiglutide. Specific recommendations on albiglutide use have been issued by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Studies show that the potential for hypoglycemic episodes with albiglutide use is low. In clinical trials, the most frequently reported adverse events were nausea and diarrhea. The use of albiglutide is contraindicated in patients with a history of pancreatitis and patients with a personal or family history of thyroid cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Albiglutide has been shown to be effective for the management of type 2 diabetes in adults and is recommended (by ADA) as second-line therapy when used in combination with metformin and (by AACE) as first-line monotherapy in patients with an HbA1c concentration of ≤7.5% at treatment initiation. In clinical trials, albiglutide was generally well tolerated by patients, with adverse effects comparable to those seen with other GLP-1 agonists.
authors.affiliation: Portia N. Davis, Pharm.D., is Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Texas Southern University (TSU) College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Ambulatory Care, San José Clinic, Houston. Uche Anadu Ndefo, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice; Ashley Oliver is a Pharm.D. student; and Enryka Payton is a Pharm.D. student, TSU College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. davisp@tsu.edu.
authors.forename: Portia N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Portia N. Davis, Pharm.D., is Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Texas Southern University (TSU) College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Ambulatory Care, San José Clinic, Houston. Uche Anadu Ndefo, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice; Ashley Oliver is a Pharm.D. student; and Enryka Payton is a Pharm.D. student, TSU College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Uche Anadu
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Ndefo
authors.affiliation: Portia N. Davis, Pharm.D., is Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Texas Southern University (TSU) College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Ambulatory Care, San José Clinic, Houston. Uche Anadu Ndefo, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice; Ashley Oliver is a Pharm.D. student; and Enryka Payton is a Pharm.D. student, TSU College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.affiliation: Portia N. Davis, Pharm.D., is Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Texas Southern University (TSU) College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Ambulatory Care, San José Clinic, Houston. Uche Anadu Ndefo, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice; Ashley Oliver is a Pharm.D. student; and Enryka Payton is a Pharm.D. student, TSU College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Enryka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Payton
mesh_terms: D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000097789:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; C534611:rGLP-1 protein; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; D000097789:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists