GLP-1 Analog Has An “Anti-Diabetic” Effect When Glucose Levels are Elevated

Blood glucose levels were lowered to near normal levels in the fasting state and after meals.

Another new diabetes treatment that is being developed by researchers at Eli Lilly and Company was also reviewed during the press conference. Dr. Michael Trautmann presented the results of an early-phase clinical trial, which studied the effects of an analog of glucagen-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a naturally occurring hormone that exerts an “anti-diabetic” effect when blood glucose levels are elevated. Unlike the GLP-1 that is produced by the body, which experiences rapid degradation, the GLP-1 analog created by the researchers at Lilly is protected against the rapid destruction. In the study, 24 overweight, type-2 diabetes patients were divided into three groups-each receiving one of three dosage injections of the GLP-1 analog for either six or 21 days.

“In all three groups, blood glucose levels were lowered to near normal levels in the fasting state and after meals,” explained Dr. Trautmann, the primary investigator on the study. “Additionally, the treatments caused patients to lose weight. Patients lost just over two pounds after six days and about four and one half pounds after 21 days.”

Dr. Trautmann stressed that although the results are encouraging, future research is needed to evaluate the longer-term effects of this compound on a larger group.  ENDO 2002