Image source: J&J
, use of the once-daily oral medication Invokana (canagliflozin) is associated with significantly greater improvements in blood glucose control compared to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, a common class of medicines for type 2 diabetes that includes Januvia (sitagliptin).
The new real-world findings, the first to compare the effectiveness of a sodium glucose co‐transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor with DPP-4 inhibitors, were published in Current Medical Research & Opinion.1
Acording to J&J the analysis, based on data from U.S. health plans, evaluated the glycemic control of people with type 2 diabetes treated with Invokana versus DPP-4 inhibitors over a period of nine months. Of the 1,439 people with type 2 diabetes and available A1C values included in the analysis, those treated with Invokana had a mean reduction in A1C of 0.92 percent compared to baseline, versus a mean reduction of 0.63 percent among those treated with a DPP-4 inhibitor (p < 0.001). Additionally, a significantly greater percentage of patients taking Invokana achieved treatment goals of A1C less than 8 percent and less than 7 percent. Similar results were observed in a post-hoc analysis of those treated with Invokana versus the DPP-4 inhibitor, sitagliptin. A1C, or hemoglobin A1C, is used as a measure of average blood glucose over the past two to three months.
“This real world analysis complements findings from the pivotal trials that informed the approval of Invokana, as it provides insights to physicians on how these medicines are performing post-approval for people living with type 2 diabetes,” said study co-author Richard Aguilar, M.D., Medical Director of Diabetes Nation. “These new findings are important in light of the need to identify therapeutic options with the best potential for achieving treatment goals, especially since they are estimated to remain unmet for up to one-half of people with type 2 diabetes.”