Diabetes patients can get relief, new oral GLP-1 drug successful in trials

A new hope has emerged in the treatment of diabetes. The new oral GLP-1 drug developed by scientists has shown positive results during clinical trials. The special thing is that this medicine is available in tablet form, which can provide great relief to those patients who till now were forced to take GLP-1 based injections. Initial trials found that this medicine not only helps in controlling blood sugar level effectively, but can also prove to be effective in weight loss.

The development of such new medicines is considered very important amid the increasing cases of diabetes across the world. If early phase trials are successful, this oral GLP-1 drug could change the way diabetes management is done and provide patients with an easy, convenient and effective treatment option instead of injections.

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What came out in the trial?

The Phase-2B SOLSTICE trial sponsored by AstraZeneca included 406 adults suffering from type-2 diabetes. This study was conducted for 26 weeks in nine countries. According to the researchers, the trial participants tolerated the drug well and its results appear to be equal to or better than some currently available treatment options.

Also got benefit in weight loss

The study also found that alecoglipron is not limited to blood sugar control only. 72.3 percent of participants taking the drug lost at least 5 percent of their weight, compared to 20.2 percent in the placebo group. From this we can assume that this medicine can also prove useful in the treatment of obesity.

What are its side effects?

In initial trials, the safety profile of the drug was found to be similar to other GLP-1 drugs. The most common side effects included nausea, vomiting and changes in bowel movements. However, experts say that to understand the safety of the drug and its long-term effects, phase-3 trials will be required on a large scale.

Why is it important for India?

The number of diabetes patients in India is said to be more than 10 crores. Despite having a low body mass index (BMI), Indians often have excess body fat and insulin resistance, which increases the risk of diabetes. In such a situation, experts believe that such medicines, which simultaneously control blood sugar, reduce weight and improve metabolic health, can prove to be very beneficial for Indian patients. If the initial Phase-3 trials are also successful, Elecoglipron can bring a big change in the field of diabetes treatment.

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