Once-Weekly Exenatide Formulation Improves Glycemic Control and Body Weight

A new once-weekly formulation of exenatide improves glycemic control and fosters weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a new report. Dr. Kim and colleagues studied the effects of once-weekly subcutaneous administration of exenatide long-acting release (LAR) formulation for 15 weeks on glycemic parameters, weight, pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability in 45 patients with type 2 diabetes.

Both doses of exenatide LAR (0.8 mg and 2.0 mg) significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose and average daily blood glucose concentration, the authors report, whereas both fasting plasma glucose and average daily blood glucose concentration increased in the placebo group.

A1C decreased progressively throughout the treatment period in the exenatide LAR groups and increased in the placebo group, the results indicate.

Body weight decreased progressively, reaching an average loss of 3.8 kg, in the 2.0-mg exenatide LAR group, the researchers note, but remained stable in the 0.8-mg exenatide LAR and placebo groups.

There were no serious adverse events related to exenatide use, the report indicates, and none of the mild to moderate adverse events required discontinuation of exenatide LAR.

"It is important that physicians know that a currently available therapy, BYETTA, contains a twice-daily formulation of exenatide, the same active ingredient as the once-weekly exenatide LAR used in this study," Dr. Kim added. "BYETTA offers patients with type 2 diabetes sustained A1C control with a secondary benefit of weight loss."
Diabetes Care 2007;30:1487-1493.

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