Dangerous Diabetes Drugs:  Overview

Eli Lilly Gets Positive Results on Diabetes Drug Trials

After three late-stage trials, drug giant Eli Lilly showed that its new diabetes drug dulaglutide provided better blood sugar control than Byetta, Januvia, and metformin.  Dulaglutide belongs to the same class of drugs as Byetta and Januvia, known as incretin mimetics.  Lilly plans to seek FDA approval for the drug in late 2013. Eli Lilly…

Posted in  Overview, Dangerous Diabetes Drugs | Leave a comment

GLP-1 Drugs Fail to Show Cardiovascular Benefits

A large clinical study that incretin mimetic drugmakers hoped would increase their sales has failed.  Incretin mimetics, also called GLP-1 therapy, is a type of diabetes treatment.  The subject of this particular study was Onglyza, manufactured by AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb. The study tested whether Onglyza reduced heart attacks and other cardiovascular events, but it…

Posted in  Overview, Dangerous Diabetes Drugs | Leave a comment

Doctor and Scientist Has Major Concerns about Januvia

Several years ago, drug giant Merck pursued chief of endocrinology Dr. Peter Butler to study its diabetes treatment Januvia.  They wanted the support and endorsement of the famous doctor who was once the editor of the American Diabetes Association’s journal Diabetes.  For some time the doctor resisted, but finally he gave in and began the…

Posted in  Overview, Dangerous Diabetes Drugs | Leave a comment

A Timeline of FDA Safety Communications Regarding GLP-1 Drugs

October 2007:  The FDA reviewed 30 post-marketing reports of acute pancreatitis in users of Byetta.  The FDA concluded that there was an association between Byetta and acute pancreatitis.  Byetta’s manufacturer Amylin Pharmaceuticals agreed to include information regarding this risk in the precautions section of its label.  The FDA also instructed patients that severe abdominal pain…

Posted in  Overview, Dangerous Diabetes Drugs | Leave a comment