A new once-daily pill may be just as effective as GLP-1 jabs for treating type 2 diabetes, a trial has found.
Around six million people in the UK are thought to be living with type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use it properly – causing blood sugar levels to become too high.
It is often treated by combining two medicines, metformin and a drug known as an SLGT2 inhibitor, both of which help to lower blood sugar levels.
In some cases, however, patients are offered GLP-1 receptor agonist jabs such as Ozempic, which has gained notoriety as a weight-loss drug in recent years. These drugs work by mimicking a hormone which triggers the pancreas to create more insulin.
But now scientists from Beijing Hospital believe a new pill may provide a simpler alternative.
Researchers, whose findings were published in the journal JAMA Network Open, analysed the effects of a drug called HRS-7535 in 194 adults with type 2 diabetes, whose condition could not be completely controlled with metformin alone.
They found that over 16 weeks, the pill – which is also classed as a GLP-1 receptor agonist – led to substantial reductions in HbA1c, a measure of average blood sugar levels.
Authors say their findings mean the pill ‘may provide a convenient treatment option’ in the future.
A new once-daily pill may be just as effective as GLP-1 jabs for treating type 2 diabetes, a trial has found
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or daily doses of 15mg, 30mg, 60mg or 90mg of HRS-7535.
Those given a placebo drug saw a 0.25 per cent reduction to their HbA1c levels.
By comparison, reductions were 1.19 per cent in those taking 15mg per day, 1.59 per cent with 30mg per day, 1.82 per cent with 60mg per day and 1.64 per cent with 90mg per day.
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Experts say normal GLP-1 drugs reduce HbA1c levels by approximately 1.0 to 1.5 per cent, which suggests the new pill could be just as effective.
Nearly two-thirds of patients in the 60mg group in the new study also achieved overall HbA1c levels below 7 per cent – a common target for people with type 2 diabetes to prevent serious complications.
In official guidance – separate from the study – leading charity Diabetes UK say ‘even a slightly raised HbA1c level makes you more at risk of serious complications’.
Complications arising from diabetes include heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, lung problems, nerve damage, and muscle and joint pain.
Others include serious conditions such as sight loss and infections to the feet.
Expectations surrounding the new study should be tempered as it was a phase 2 trial, meaning the drug is still in its early stages of development and research.
Some participants in the trial also reported side effects such as nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting, though most cases were mild.
But the researchers believe their findings provide a basis for taking the pill to a phase three trial, which would allow them to test on thousands of people to explore the overall risks and benefits of the drug.
Authors wrote: ‘As a nonpeptide oral GLP-1 RA that does not require fasting administration or injection, HRS-7535 may provide a convenient treatment option, pending confirmation in phase 3 trials.’
