Manufacturers of two different diabetes drugs have reported positive results recently.
Jardiance (empagliflozin) consistently reduced the risk of new or worsening kidney disease versus placebo, reported a two-member diabetes pharmaceutical alliance.
Boehringer Ingelheim (Ridgefield, CT) and Eli Lilly (Indianapolis) joined forces in 2011 to form an alliance that centers on compounds in “several of the largest diabetes treatment classes,” the companies noted.
The companies shared findings from two new analyses from the long-term EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial of empagliflozin. One analysis showed that patients taking the drug consistently reduced the risk of new or worsening kidney disease when compared with patients taking placebo. This finding held regardless of level of control over blood pressure, level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or HbA1C levels, individually or combined, and other factors, Nasdaq.com reported.
A separate analysis showed a consistent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular death compared with placebo in patients stratified to low, intermediate, high, and highest cardiovascular risk groups, MD magazine reported. Likewise, there were similar reductions in the risk of hospitalization for heart failure among the patient groups taking empagliflozin.
At the 2018 American Diabetes Association (ADA) 78th Scientific Sessions in Orlando, FL, Rogelio Braceras, MD, therapeutic area head of Clinical Development and Medical Affairs (Metabolism) for Boehringer Ingelheim, said the results on Jardiance are “very reassuring, very informative, because we are doing the CVD outcome studies for heart failure and also for kidney programs through the EMPA-REG,” a trial in 42 countries, MD magazine reported.
In a study published online in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (1), researchers from the United States and Australia found that canagliflozin, marketed as Invokana by Janssen Pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson, J&J) reduced kidney decline and albuminuria more than a placebo treatment.The research team assessed a number of kidney markers including end stage renal disease, with results from two studies taken between November 2009 and March 2011 and between January 2014 and May 2015.
Reference
Perkovic V, et al.. Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes: results from the CANVAS Program randomised clinical trials. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2018; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(18)30141–4
