A recent study reveals that weekly insulin injections are as effective in managing both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes as the traditional daily injections, according to findings from two clinical trials. The new insulin formulation, efsitora alfa, designed for weekly use, was evaluated in trials presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) annual meeting in Madrid.
The Phase 3 trials, involving 928 participants with Type 2 diabetes and 623 with Type 1 diabetes, demonstrated that efsitora alfa managed blood glucose levels effectively, matching the results of daily long-acting insulin degludec.
Dr. Carol Wysham, leading the Type 2 diabetes study, highlighted that efsitora’s weekly administration could simplify insulin therapy, reducing the frequency of injections and potentially improving patient adherence. Wysham, an endocrinologist at the MultiCare Rockwood Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Spokane, Washington, emphasized the potential benefits of efsitora in reducing treatment burdens and maintaining A1C levels, making it a promising alternative to daily insulin.
The trials, spanning 52 weeks, randomly assigned participants to receive either efsitora or degludec. Both trials showed no significant difference in hypoglycemia rates for Type 2 diabetes patients between the two treatments. However, Type 1 diabetes patients experienced a higher incidence of hypoglycemia with efsitora (10%) compared to degludec (3%). Researchers, led by Dr. Richard Bergenstal of the HealthPartners Institute’s International Diabetes Center in Minneapolis, called for further investigation into optimizing dosing to balance efficacy with the risk of hypoglycemia.
Dr. Bergenstal noted that while Type 1 diabetes management traditionally requires daily insulin, the new weekly regimen of efsitora achieved comparable A1C reductions to daily basal insulin. He expressed anticipation for additional research to address hypoglycemia risks and explore personalized treatment options for Type 1 diabetes.
The Type 2 diabetes trial also assessed efsitora’s compatibility with GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Ozempic. The results confirmed that efsitora can be effectively combined with these therapies, which are increasingly recommended in diabetes treatment.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells, while Type 2 diabetes involves insulin resistance.
The study results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet, underscoring the potential of weekly insulin injections to enhance diabetes management.
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