First In Class Medication Approved for Type 2 Diabetes

The FDA has approved Invokana (canaglifozin), the first in its class of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Johnson & Johnson’s new drug is used to treat type 2 diabetes in conjunction with diet and exercise….

The medication works by stopping glucose reabsorption in the kidney and promoting glucose excretion. In type 2 diabetics with high glucose levels, this ‘glucuretic’ medication is effective in reducing glucose and excreting glucose into the urine.

Invokana has been shown to improve A1c levels and fasting glucose levels in nine clinical trials involving 10,285 type 2 diabetic patients. Another advantage shown in Phase III studies was the ability of Invokana to reduce body weight and systolic blood pressure. This medication can be taken as monotherapy or in combination with insulin, metformin, sulfonylureas, or pioglitazone.

Invokana should not be prescribed in patients with type 1 diabetes, end stage renal disease, severe kidney disease, diabetic ketoacidosis, or patients on hemodialysis. The main side effects seen in trials were urinary tract infections and vulvovaginal candidiasis due to the high amount of glucose in the urinary tract. In the first twelve weeks of treatment, patients could experience orthostasis due to the diuretic effect of the medication. The FDA expects Johnson & Johnson to carry out post-marketing studies in the future. This new drug approval will provide practitioners more treatment options for type 2 diabetics for optimal glucose control. For more Information, see the Product of the Week.

https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm345848.htm