Fda Approves Diabetes Drug That Also Helps With Weight Loss
FDA approves diabetes drug that also helps with weight loss A child stands on a scale. (AP Photo/Trent Penny-The Anniston Star) Published Wednesday, December 6, 2017 7:57AM EST Last Updated Wednesday, December 6, 2017 8:00AM EST TRENTON, N.J. -- U.S. regulators on Tuesday approved a new diabetes drug that reduces blood sugar levels and also helps people lose significant weight. Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk said the Food and Drug Administration approved its once-a-week shot for people with Type 2 diabetes. The drug, Ozempic, also known as semaglutide, works by stimulating the body's own insulin production and reducing appetite. In one big company-funded study, Ozempic, on average, reduced long-term blood sugar levels at least 2 1/2 times as much as a popular daily diabetes pill, Merck & Co.'s Januvia. It also helped study participants lose two to three times as much weight as those in the comparison group. Over 56 weeks, patients who got a lower dose of Ozempic lost an average of 9.5 pounds (4.3 kilograms) while those who got a higher dose lost 13.5 pounds (6.1 kilograms). The patients who took Januvia lost an average of 4 pounds (1.9 kilograms). The 1,200 study participants were also taking one or two standard diabetes medicines. Novo Nordisk, a leader in diabetes care, has also been testing the drug separately for weight loss alone. Many Type 2 diabetes patients are overweight or obese, and losing significant weight usually helps them reduce their blood sugar and better control their diabetes. Over time, too high sugar in the blood can damage multiple organs and weaken circulation. The new drug comes in injector pens and costs about the same as similar weekly drugs: $676 for a four- to six-week supply without insurance. Novo Nordisk already sells a similar once-a-day Continue reading >>
- Drug that lowers blood sugar to combat type 2 diabetes ‘also helps fight obesity and heart disease’
- Type 2 diabetes breakthrough: Scientists create first pill that not only STOPS the condition in its tracks but also helps patients lose weight - and it could be available on the NHS within 3 years
- U.S. FDA approves new diabetes drug from Merck and Pfizer
Type 2 Diabetes
Print Diagnosis To diagnose type 2 diabetes, you'll be given a: Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. This blood test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. It measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. The higher your blood sugar levels, the more hemoglobin you'll have with sugar attached. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates you have diabetes. A result between 5.7 and 6.4 percent is considered prediabetes, which indicates a high risk of developing diabetes. Normal levels are below 5.7 percent. If the A1C test isn't available, or if you have certain conditions — such as if you're pregnant or have an uncommon form of hemoglobin (known as a hemoglobin variant) — that can make the A1C test inaccurate, your doctor may use the following tests to diagnose diabetes: Random blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken at a random time. Blood sugar values are expressed in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L). Regardless of when you last ate, a random blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher suggests diabetes, especially when coupled with any of the signs and symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent urination and extreme thirst. Fasting blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken after an overnight fast. A fasting blood sugar level less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) is normal. A fasting blood sugar level from 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is considered prediabetes. If it's 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher on two separate tests, you have diabetes. Oral glucose tolerance test. For this test, you fast overnight, and the fasting blood sugar level is measured. Then you drink a sugary liquid, and blood s Continue reading >>
First-in-class Type 2 Diabetes Medication Approved In Canada
First-in-class type 2 diabetes medication approved in Canada INVOKANA offers a new approach to treatment TORONTO, May 26, 2014 /CNW/ - Janssen Inc. announced today that Health Canada has approved INVOKANA (canagliflozin), an oral, once-daily prescription treatment used to lower blood glucose (sugar) levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.1 INVOKANA belongs to a new class of medications called sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors that offers a novel approach to treating diabetes by increasing the loss of glucose in the urine. Of the three million Canadians living with diabetes, 90 per cent have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.2 Despite the numerous treatment options available, approximately 50 per cent of patients don't reach the level of glucose control recommended by their doctor.3 "Living with diabetes can be extremely frustrating and discouraging," said Mississauga resident, Jatinder Bawa, who has lived with type 2 diabetes for 10 years. "While I have made some lifestyle changes to control my condition, there were times when I wasn't well-managed and it was hard to always stay motivated without seeing some signs of improvement." INVOKANA: A New Way of Treating Diabetes As glucose is filtered from the blood in the kidneys it is reabsorbed into the bloodstream. SGLT2 is an important transporter responsible for this reabsorption. INVOKANA selectively inhibits SGLT2 and as a result, promotes the loss of glucose in the urine, lowering blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. "In clinical trials, INVOKANA had a great impact on patients by improving glycemic control, while reducing body weight and systolic blood pressure," said Dr. Ronald Goldenberg, endocrinologist, LMC Diabetes & Endocrinology. "INVOKANA was also associated with a low incidence Continue reading >>
New Diabetic Drugs Look Promising, But Wont Be Enough To Manage The Epidemic
The subject who is truly loyal to the Chief Magistrate will neither advise nor submit to arbitrary measures. Health Advisor is a regular column where contributors share their knowledge in fields ranging from fitness to psychology, pediatrics to aging. Follow us @Globe_Health. 'I'm sorry, but your sugar is still too high," I tell my anxious patient, reviewing his blood work. Sathees, a 39-year-old who has had diabetes for six years, has been dreading this moment. But he accepts my verdict, knowing I will prescribe more medication adding to the five tablets that he's already taking. For diabetics, this is a typical scenario, repeated thousands of times a day in clinics across Canada. Too frequently, the medications we use to treat diabetes just fade away, losing their sugar-reducing effect. "Therapies tend to fail over time," says Prof. Bernie Zinman, who spoke recently at a conference at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, University of Toronto. That's why family docs have to pile on more and more pills in an attempt to prevent diabetes complications heart, kidney, eye and nerve damage. "No way," Sathees pleads, "I don't want injections." He hasn't lost weight, shrugs when I ask about regular exercise, and won't cut down on his precious carbs his daily bread and rice. "Just give me another tablet," he insists. Fortunately for him, a promising new class of diabetes medications is expected in Canada. (Release dates have been delayed, as regulators have asked for more data from the manufacturers.) These novel pills work in an entirely different way, have fewer side effects, are heart-smart and even promote weight loss. Though the names are unpronounceable canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin these new tablets will be a welcome addition to our menu of diabetes medic Continue reading >>
Fda Approves New Diabetes Drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a first-of-its-kind diabetes drug from Johnson & Johnson that uses a new method to lower blood sugar flushing it out in patients' urine. Pill from J&J lowers blood sugar by flushing it out with urine Posted: Mar 29, 2013 5:12 PM ET | Last Updated: March 29, 2013 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a first-of-its-kind diabetes drug from Johnson & Johnson that uses a new method to lower blood sugar flushing it out in patients' urine. The agency cleared J&J's Invokana tablets for adults with Type 2 diabetes, which affects an estimated 26 million Americans. The once-a-day medication works by blocking the kidneys from reabsorbing sugar, which occurs at higher levels in patients with diabetes than in healthy patients. Regulators highlighted the drug as the first in a new class of medications that could help address the nation's growing diabetes epidemic. Analysts estimate Invokana could eventually grow into a blockbuster drug, generating more than $1 billion in sales annually for New Brunswick, N.J.-based J&J. People with type 2 diabetes are unable to properly break down carbohydrates, either because their bodies do not produce enough insulin or have become resistant to the hormone, which controls blood sugar levels. These patients are at higher risk for heart attacks, kidney problems, blindness and other serious complications. Diabetics often require multiple drugs with different mechanisms of action to control their blood sugar levels. Invokana differs from older drugs that work by shrinking the amount of sugar absorbed from food and stored in the liver. The most common side effects of Invokana are yeast infections and urinary tract infections, due to the higher amounts of sugar passing through a Continue reading >>
Buy Oral & Injectable Prescription Medications For Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Browse Our Prescription Type 2 Diabetes Medications Below * CanadianInsulin.com provides flat rate shipping to anywhere in the United States. Diabetic Drugs Actos Tablets Amaryl (Glimepiride) Tablets Avandia (Rosiglitazone) Tablets Avandamet Tablets Chlorpropamide (Diabinese) Tablets Diabeta (Glyburide) Tablets Farxiga (Forxiga) Tablets Glyburide Tablets Invokana (Canagliflozin) Tablets Januvia (Sitagliptin) Tablets Janumet Tablets Janumet XR Tablets Jardiance (Empagliflozin) Tablets Jentadueto Tablets Komboglyze Tablets Metformin Tablets Onglyza (Saxagliptin) Tablets Tolbutamide (Orinase) Tablets Repaglinide Tablets Pioglitazone Tablets Saxenda Pens Tradjenta (Trajenta) Tablets Trulicity (Dulaglutide) Pens Victoza Pens What is Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)? T2D, also known as diabetes mellitus type 2 or adult-onset diabetes, is a long-term (chronic) metabolic disorder. Metabolism is a measure of all the reactions in your body needed for you to carry on healthy living. Metabolism is most commonly associated with the breakdown of food for energy, and the use of that energy to grow, repair and maintain the human body. With T2D, your body has a specific problem with how it breaks down food and how it uses it for energy and storage. One of the most important compounds that regulates energy utilization and storage in the body is insulin. It is a hormone made in the pancreas that controls the body’s main energy source, glucose or more simply, sugar. Type II diabetes is a disorder that results from the lack of insulin in your blood or when your body has a problem using the insulin it produces, which is called insulin resistance. As a result, sugar levels build up in your blood instead of getting used for energy. Some characteristic signs of type-2 diabetes is having high blood sugar Continue reading >>
Diabetes Pills
Many types of diabetes pills can help people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood glucose. Each class of pill helps lower blood glucose in a different way. You might know your pill (or pills) by a different name. Each of the medicines discussed here has side effects and other warnings and precautions. Some diabetes pills have been associated with increased risk of heart disease. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits of a drug with your doctor before starting any therapy. Sulfonylureas These pills do two things: Help your pancreas make more insulin. Help your body use the insulin it makes. For these pills to work, your pancreas has to make some insulin. Generic names for some of the more common sufonylureas are glimepiride, glyburide, chlorpropamide, and glipizide. Some sulfonylureas work all day, so you take them only once a day - usually before breakfast. Others you take twice a day, typically before breakfast and before supper. Your doctor will tell you how many times a day you should take your diabetes pill(s). Some possible side effects include low blood glucose (hypoglycemia), upset stomach, skin rash or itching, and/or weight gain. Biguanides Known under the generic name metformin (met-FOR-min), this drug helps lower blood glucose by making sure your liver does not make too much glucose. Metformin also lowers the amount of insulin in your body. Metformin can improve blood fat and cholesterol levels. Also, metformin does not cause blood glucose to get too low (hypoglycemia) when it is the only diabetes medicine you take. Regular metformin is taken 2 to 3 times a day, with meals. Your doctor will tell you which meals to take it with. There is an extended release version of metformin which is taken once a day. Some possible side effects of metformin inc Continue reading >>
Diabetes (type 2)
Source: Adapted from Know Your Options: The Definitive Guide to Choosing The Best Medical Treatments, Reader What is Type 2 diabetes? The most common form of diabetes that develops slowly during adulthood—and is generally manageable with diet, weight reduction, and medication—is called Type 2 diabetes. With this form of diabetes, you aren’t producing enough insulin, and your cells are no longer responding to the insulin you do produce. The pancreas, an organ tucked against the back of your abdomen, produces insulin, a hormone that enables your body to use sugar (glucose). Without enough insulin, glucose builds up in your blood instead of entering your cells, which need it to function. This causes high blood sugar, the source of many complications. If you don’t treat it, it can eventually damage your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels. In fact, diabetics are two to four times more likely to suffer a stroke or have heart disease. Up to 50 percent of diabetics develop nerve damage, which can lead to leg or foot amputation. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death by disease in Canada. Who is at risk for Type 2 diabetes? Generally, diabetes occurs for two reasons—it may run in your family, making you genetically susceptible, or you may have taxed your body’s glucose-balancing system from poor eating habits and excess weight gain. Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90–95% of diabetes cases. Treatment for Type 2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease, and there’s a big payoff if you become proactive about managing it. You can learn how to minimize or even eliminate the need for drugs, and dramatically postpone complications. Keeping your blood glucose in the normal range and improving your body’s use of insulin are daily goals. Many people Continue reading >>
New Drug May Be 'next Big Thing' In Type 2 Diabetes Management
New drug may be 'next big thing' in type 2 diabetes management Type 2 diabetes is a chronic but common condition that usually requires medication to keep blood sugar levels stable. Issues and side effects of some oral hypoglycemic agents (such as glyburide) and insulin use include low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) which can be dangerous and also can lead to weight gain. Newer injectable drugs (GLP-1 agonists) used in combination with older oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin can help people with Type 2 diabetes avoid low blood sugar and weight gain. Diabetes is a very common chronic disease which is challenging to manage. In Canada, about 90% of people with this condition have type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body does not effectively make, release or use insulin (1). Insulin is a hormone that helps the body convert sugar into energy. For people with type 2 diabetes, sugar can quickly build up in the blood and cause hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) which can lead to serious health problems, even death (1). While changes in diet and physical activity are the first strategies used to manage type 2 diabetes, many people also use medication oral hypoglycemic agents (such as metformin) or insulin to help control their blood sugar levels. People who take insulin must monitor their blood sugar levels regularly and give themselves injections of insulin, often several times a day, as instructed by their health care providers. For many people with diabetes, taking insulin is a vital part of their self-care routine. However its not without its shortcomings. For example if insulin levels are not carefully balanced with diet, people can experience hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and weight gain (2). Thats why a relatively new type of injectable drug is getting a lot of attention. Continue reading >>
Ozempic Approved In Canada For The Treatment Of Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
Ozempic approved in Canada for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes Ozempic demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in blood sugar and body weight vs comparators1 MISSISSAUGA, ON, Jan. 9, 2018 /CNW/ -Novo Nordisk announced today that Health Canada has approved Ozempic (semaglutide injection) as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, when metformin is not tolerated or contraindicated.1 Ozempic, a once-weekly glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, can also be used together with other antidiabetic drugs, when diet and exercise do not achieve adequate glycemic control.1 "Many of our patients with type 2 diabetes are overweight and have elevated blood sugar levels despite lifestyle changes and current therapies," explains Dr. Lawrence Leiter, Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. "The availability of a once-weekly injectable associated with effective glucose lowering and weight loss is a welcome addition to our treatment options." In type 2 diabetes, the body becomes resistant to insulin which leads to heightened blood sugar levels.2,3 To cope, cells in the pancreas produce more insulin but they eventually fail to keep up.2,3 Although the exact causes of insulin resistance are not completely understood, scientists think the major contributors to insulin resistance are excess weight and physical inactivity.3 Some experts believe obesity, especially excess fat around the waist, is a primary cause of insulin resistance.3 "Factors contributing to the increased global prevalence of type 2 diabetes include an aging population, lifestyle and environmental changes leading to increases in obesity and improved survival for those living with diabetes," explains Dr. Jan Hux, President Continue reading >>
Treatments & Medications
Look for special events, expos, programs and services close to home or a mouse-click away. People with diabetes can expect to live active, independent and vital lives if they make a lifelong commitment to careful diabetes management. Education: Diabetes education is an important first step. All people with diabetes need to be informed about their condition. Physical activity: Regular physical activity helps your body lower blood glucose (sugar) levels, promotes weight loss, reduces stress and enhances overall fitness. Nutrition: What, when and how much you eat all play an important role in regulating blood sugar levels. Weight management: Maintaining a healthy weight is especially important in the management of type 2 diabetes. Medication: Type 1 diabetes is always treated with insulin. Type 2 diabetes is managed through physical activity and meal planning and may require medications and/or insulin to assist your body in controlling blood sugar more effectively. Stress management: Learning to reduce stress levels in day-to-day life can help people with diabetes better manage their condition. Blood pressure: High blood pressure can lead to eye disease, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, so people with diabetes should try to maintain a blood pressure level below 130/80. To do this, you may need to change your eating and physical activity habits and/or take medication(s). Continue reading >>
Medications For Diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, insulin is usually started right away, since the pancreas is no longer producing insulin. In type 2 diabetes, if making the appropriate lifestyle changes doesn't bring the sugar levels close to target within a reasonable timeframe, medication will be prescribed to further lower blood sugar levels. The insulin that people with diabetes use today is a man-made protein that is structurally identical or close to identical to the insulin normally made by the pancreas. Insulins are classified by their duration of action - some work immediately and others lower blood sugar over longer periods of time. All insulins must be injected into subcutaneous tissue (the fat just under the skin surface) where they are absorbed into the blood stream. They are administered using a syringe, a pen device, or an insulin pump. In some situations, insulin can also be given intravenously, but this is typically only for patients admitted to a hospital. There are many types of medications used to treat type 2 diabetes. Here is a list of medications that are available and commonly used in Canada: You may have to try different types of medication before finding the right one for you. Medications for type 2 diabetes work in different ways. Some stimulate the pancreas to release insulin (e.g., glyburide, nateglinide, gliclazide), while others reduce insulin resistance (e.g., rosiglitazone, pioglitazone). Some decrease the amount of sugar made by the liver (e.g., metformin), while others help increase the amount of insulin made in the pancreas and reduce the amount of sugar released by the liver (e.g., saxagliptin, sitagliptin, liraglutide). Insulin is often prescribed when adequate glucose control with other medications has not been achieved. Some things to keep in mind about medi Continue reading >>
Oral Diabetes Medications Summary Chart
Check with your provider; usually taken once a day. Combines the actions of each pill used in the combination. Side effects are the same as those of each pill used in the combination. Some combinationpills may lead to low blood glucose levels if one of the medications contained in the combination has this effect. May decrease the number of pills you need to take. Other drugs are on the horizon as well, as scientists work to improve the variety of medications to treat type 2 diabetes. Frequently physicians will prescribe one type of oral medication and discover it isn't really helping to control blood glucose that much. In the past, this would have meant that the patient would likely be put on insulin. Now, physicians can try another type of medication to see if it helps correct problems. Physicians often notice that a particular medication works well for a period of time and then begins to work less well for a patient. Now they can mix and match medications that work on different aspects of the diabetes problem to see if that will improve blood glucose control. Continue reading >>
Us Approves New Class Of Diabetes Drug, Under Review In Canada
US approves new class of diabetes drug, under review in Canada Author information Copyright and License information Disclaimer Copyright 1995-2013, Canadian Medical Association The United States recent approval of a new drug to treat type 2 diabetes has paved the way for its introduction in Canada. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved canagliflozin, a drug developed by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation and marketed by Johnson & Johnson under the brand name Invokana, on Mar. 29. The company has also filed a new drug submission with Health Canada, says Jennifer McCormack, a spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson Canada. This procedure is still ongoing so we cant speculate on the expected outcome or timelines at this point, says McCormack. The once-a-day oral pill has been labelled a new class of diabetes medication because it works in the kidneys to inhibit sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2). After glucose is filtered from the blood into the kidneys, canagliflozin suppresses SGLT2 transporters from carrying the glucose back into the blood. Instead, the glucose is diverted and released into the urine. This effectively pushes excess blood glucose out of the body via the kidneys and urinary tract. Each class of diabetes drug has a different mode of action in controlling blood glucose levels. Insulin sensitizers, for example, increase the sensitivity of insulin receptors to the bodys own insulin; insulin secretagogues stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin; biguanides reduce glucose production in the liver; and alphaglucosidase inhibitors lower blood glucose after meals by slowing down the absorption of glucose from complex carbohydrates. Coined a glucuretic by Johnson & Johnson, canagliflozin complements other common glucose-lowering medications lik Continue reading >>
Fda Approves Diabetes Drug That Also Helps With Weight Loss
TRENTON, N.J. — U.S. regulators on Tuesday approved a new diabetes drug that reduces blood sugar levels and also helps people lose significant weight. Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk said the Food and Drug Administration approved its once-a-week shot for people with Type 2 diabetes. The drug, Ozempic, also known as semaglutide, works by stimulating the body's own insulin production and reducing appetite. In one big company-funded study, Ozempic, on average, reduced long-term blood sugar levels at least 2 ½ times as much as a popular daily diabetes pill, Merck & Co.'s Januvia. It also helped study participants lose two to three times as much weight as those in the comparison group. Over 56 weeks, patients who got a lower dose of Ozempic lost an average of 9.5 pounds (4.3 kilograms) while those who got a higher dose lost 13.5 pounds (6.1 kilograms). The patients who took Januvia lost an average of 4 pounds (1.9 kilograms). The 1,200 study participants were also taking one or two standard diabetes medicines. Novo Nordisk, a leader in diabetes care, has also been testing the drug separately for weight loss alone. Many Type 2 diabetes patients are overweight or obese, and losing significant weight usually helps them reduce their blood sugar and better control their diabetes. Over time, too high sugar in the blood can damage multiple organs and weaken circulation. The new drug comes in injector pens and costs about the same as similar weekly drugs: $676 for a four- to six-week supply without insurance. Novo Nordisk already sells a similar once-a-day shot, Victoza. Ozempic will compete with other popular once-a-week drugs in the same class, including Eli Lilly and Co.'s Trulicity and AstraZeneca PLC's Bydureon, which don't produce as much weight loss. However, they all carry Continue reading >>
- Drug that lowers blood sugar to combat type 2 diabetes ‘also helps fight obesity and heart disease’
- Type 2 diabetes breakthrough: Scientists create first pill that not only STOPS the condition in its tracks but also helps patients lose weight - and it could be available on the NHS within 3 years
- U.S. FDA approves new diabetes drug from Merck and Pfizer
