- Researchers compared the efficacy of once-weekly and once-daily insulin treatments for type 2 diabetes.
- They found that the once-weekly treatment icodec was more effective in lowering blood sugar levels than the standard once-daily injections.
- Experts say further studies are needed to confirm the results.
A new, once-weekly insulin treatment could be a game changer for people with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.
Researchers conducted a Phase 3 trial among people with type 2 diabetes, comparing the efficacy and safety of a once-weekly insulin called “icodec” with the standard once-daily injection degludec. Degludec is a long-acting insulin drug that helps regulate blood sugar levels.
They found that once-weekly icodec treatment resulted in greater reductions in blood sugar levels than once-daily degludec after 26 weeks.
The study was published in
A previous study also found that icodec may produce similar glucose-lowering effects as daily insulin injections.
Over
Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that allows cells to use glucose as energy. Type 2 diabetes occurs when cells no longer respond properly to insulin, which leads to increased blood sugar levels.
Over time, high blood sugar can
Current guidelines recommend insulin-based drugs to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes when non-insulin medications are ineffective.
Currently, insulin-based drugs for type 2 diabetes require daily injections. Daily injections, however, can be cumbersome for patients, leading to poor adherence rates.
Research suggests that weekly injections improve adherence. One study found that patients taking once-weekly insulin treatments adhere to treatment regimens for an…
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