People suffering from type 2 diabetes face a huge psychological and economic burden in having to take regular injections, along with the problems associated with ensuring the safe disposal of used syringes and medication vials.
Having an oral medication in place of injections would be a win-win situation for the user and the ecosystem. Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration tentaively approved a new drug called Rybelsus for treatment of type 2 diabetes.
The drug is the first glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) treatment that does not need to be injected. It mimics a glucagon-like peptide receptor in the body that stops the liver from making too much sugar. It also helps the pancreas make more insulin.
People with type 2 diabetes often do not have enough of the GLP-1 protein. In granting its approval, the FDA stated that Rybelsus contains a boxed warning about the potential increased risk of thyroid C-cell tumors, among other possible side effects. It also noted that Rybelsus, is “not recommended as the first choice of medicine for treating diabetes.”
Doctors hope that the new oral drug could lead to the development of new, oral versions of other drugs. While there are other pills available for patients with diabetes, they are usually destroyed by stomach acids and so have to be injected
Rybelsus is just one of several new drugs to come on the market recently for diabetes treatment. Three other oral drugs for type 2 diabetes were approved by the FDA in late 2017, although they use different mechanisms than GLP-1. Some oral insulin sprays are also in development. The market for new diabetes drugs is robust due to the demand for them. Giving those patients another treatment option may be important.
However, the FDA has warned that Rybelsus is not recommended as a first-line treatment for diabetes and that there are several potential side effects in terms of increased risk of other health problems.
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