U.S. FDA Approves New Diabetes Drug From Merck And Pfizer

U.S. FDA approves new diabetes drug from Merck and Pfizer

(Reuters) - A new drug developed by Merck & Co and Pfizer Inc won U.S. approval on Wednesday to treat type II diabetes, the Food and Drug Administration said, adding another competitor to a growing class of treatments.
The oral drug, known generically as ertugliflozin, will be sold under the brand name Steglatro and compete with AstraZeneca Plc’s Farxiga, Johnson & Johnson’s Invokana and Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Jardiance.
All four drugs belong to a class known as SGLT2 inhibitors, which work by causing patients to expel excess glucose through urine.
Merck and Pfizer won approval for Steglatro as a single therapy and in fixed-dose combinations with Merck’s diabetes drug Januvia or with metformin, an older generic treatment typically given to newly diagnosed patients. Those will carry the brand names Steglujan and Segluromet, respectively.
The approvals and prescribing information were listed on the FDA and Merck websites.
FILE PHOTO: The Pfizer logo is seen at their world headquarters in New York, U.S. April 28, 2014. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo
The companies, in an emailed statement, said they expect to make the medicines available in early 2018. Under the collaboration Merck, which already has a sizable diabetes sales force, will sell the drug in the United States.
As type II diabetes progresses, many patients need additional treatments to better control blood sugar levels.
Januvia is the top-selling drug in a class known as DPP-4 inhibitors. The combination with ertugliflozin will compete with combination products from rivals, including Eli Lilly� Continue reading

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The Latest in Diabetes Drugs: Less Hypoglycemia, More Weight Loss

By Emma Ryan and Payal Marathe
Research presented at EASD 2017 showcased drugs, both new and old, that improve blood sugar management, weight loss, heart health, and even blood pressure
New research presented at the recent European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) conference showed promising results, including lower A1c, better heart health, weight loss, and less hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Click to read more about the most notable updates on new therapies:
Semaglutide – a once-weekly GLP-1 injection for type 2 diabetes (under FDA review after a very positive Advisory Committee meeting in which four diaTribe Foundation volunteers participated)
Bydureon – a once-weekly GLP-1 injection for type 2 diabetes (available now, with a newly-approved, easier way to take it)
Add-on pills for type 1 – SGLT “class” Farxiga (available now) and sotagliflozin (in development)
Tresiba – a once-daily basal insulin for type 1 and type 2 (available now)
Sulfonylureas versus pioglitazone – type 2 diabetes pills (available now)
Glimepiride versus ertugliflozin – type 2 diabetes pills (available now and in development, respectively)
The EASD meeting also included discussions of much more than diabetes drug therapies. You can read diaTribe’s coverage of a study showing improved outcomes from CGM use during pregnancy and The diaTribe Foundation’s event on “Solvable Problems in Diabetes.”
Semaglutide– a once-weekly injection for type 2 diabetes (under FDA review)
Researchers presented new weight loss data on semaglutide, a once-weekly GLP-1 agonist that is c Continue reading

Type 2 Diabetes: Will Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Help?

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has been found to help those with type 1 diabetes, especially those who use an insulin pump, manage their A1C and blood sugar fluctuations.
Now, researchers and doctors are branching out, wondering if CGM could help those with type 2 diabetes do the same.
The CGM system includes a tiny electrode, or glucose sensor, inserted under the skin to measure the glucose in tissue fluid. This electrode is connected to a transmitter that relays information to a monitoring and display device. If glucose drops too low or rises too high to alert sounds.
So, could a CGM system help you?
Two experts weighed the pros and cons of CGM to manage type 2 diabetes at a recent symposium at the American Diabetes Association 77th Scientific Sessions in San Diego. While both experts see the potential for all patients with type 2, for argument's sake, they alternated taking pro and con sides.
Here, a recap of what is known about CGM for those with type 2 diabetes on multiple daily injections (MDI), basal insulin and non-insulin users.1
CGM for MDI Users
Multiple studies have found that CGM can reduce A1C and low blood sugar in those with type 1 diabetes, but do those findings translate to those with type 2? At least some research suggests they do, says Jeremy Pettus, MD, associate professor of medicine at the University of California San Diego.
Researchers assigned 158 people with type 2 diabetes to use CGM or self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) and followed them for six months. At that point, those in the CGM group had an average A1C of 8%, compared to 7.7% in Continue reading

U-40 Versus U-100 Insulin Syringes and Pens

I recently got a letter asking me to help choose the best insulin syringe for a pet. So today I’ll first explain the goofy lingo we use to describe insulin syringes and then discuss needles and pens and syringe volume. It’s really quite simple once you break it down. Some of it is critical to proper dosing and some of it is merely personal preference.
What is the Difference Between U-40 and U-100?
U-40 means there are 40 units of insulin per cc. U-100 means there are 100 units of insulin per cc. It refers to concentration of insulin. Remember that one cc (cubic centimeter) equals one ml (milliliter). This is an important aspect of choosing a syringe. If your vet chose U-40 insulin for your pet, you need a U-40 syringe. If you use U-100 insulin you should choose a U-100 syringe. There are conversion tables on the Internet to use one type of syringe with the other type of insulin, but it gets too confusing. I advise against such a mismatch. Mistakes can be made. Dosing errors can be costly or even deadly. Just choose the right syringe for the insulin your vet chooses for your pet.
Regardless of this, syringes can be of different volume. Veterinarians often choose 1/3cc or 1/2cc syringes for our patients as these smaller volume syringes make it much easier for us to see the markings for pets. Pets are usually much smaller than the average human! Sometimes (rarely) we might use 1cc syringes for really big dogs. Let’s use an example: Say you have U-100 insulin and have a really big dog taking 32 units of insulin. A 3/10cc syringe would only allow up to 30 units of U-100 in Continue reading

Low-Carb and Ketogenic Diets for Dogs with Diabetes

Finding the Best Diet for Your Dog with Diabetes
Deciding what kind of food to feed a healthy dog is difficult enough, but when your dog is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease like diabetes, it becomes even more important to pick the right diet plan.
Unfortunately, most pet parents are still feeding their dogs commercially canned and kibble food. While these types of food are extremely popular and can be found in many stores, the truth is commercial pet food is not good for pets and is at the root of the crisis in our pets’ health. According to Dogs Naturally Magazine, feeding your pet commercial dog food is essentially like giving your pet fast food every day. And, as we all know, a constant diet of fast food leads to many health problems down the line.
Why You Need to Avoid Commercial Pet Food
But what exactly is in commercial dog food that makes it so bad for our pets? Starches, for one thing. Not-so-fun fact: did you know that it takes a minimum of 40 percent starches to get kibble to stick together? Almost all commercial dog foods are loaded with high sugar and high glycemic index ingredients like corn, rice, peas, potatoes, and other low-grade non-meat fillers. Sadly, these fillers cause rapid glucose spikes that can contribute to or worsen your pet’s diabetes.
A Diet Low in Carbohydrates
According to Dr. Karen Becker, “… 90 percent of pet foods out there contain totally inappropriate ingredients that are not nourishing and actually create low-grade inflammatory processes, diabetes, and obesity. All the same health issues occurring in the pet world are o Continue reading