Efficacy and safety of exenatide once-weekly vs exenatide twice-daily in Asian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: To compare safety and efficacy of the extended-release formulation exenatide once weekly (EQW) vs exenatide twice daily (EBID) for 26 weeks in type 2 diabetes patients from China, India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized, comparator-controlled, open-label study included 681 patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c] ≥7 and ≤11%) with oral antihyperglycemic medications (OAMs). Patients added 2 mg EQW or 10 μg EBID to current OAMs. Safety was re-evaluated 10 weeks after last treatment.

RESULTS: EQW was superior to EBID on HbA1c measures at week 26 (Least-squares mean treatment difference: -0.31% [95% confidence interval -0.49, -0.14%]). More EQW-treated patients achieved target HbA1c ≤7.0% (P = 0.003), ≤6.5% (P < 0.001), or ≤6.0% (P = 0.003). Fasting serum glucose reductions were greater among EQW-treated patients (P < 0.001). Blood glucose profiles improved in both treatment groups (P < 0.001). Weight loss occurred with both treatments, but was greater with EBID. Adverse events (≥10%, either group) were nausea, injection-site induration, dyslipidemia and vomiting. Injection-site induration was more frequent with EQW, whereas nausea, vomiting and hypoglycemia were less frequent. One episode each of major hypoglycemia (EBID) and pancreatitis (EQW) were reported.

CONCLUSION: In this population, EQW and EBID showed efficacious glucose and weight control; safety and tolerability were consistent with observations in non-Asian patients. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (no. NCT00917267).