Sanofi-Aventis: Lixisenatide aids blood-glucose control for Type 2 diabetics

PARIS An investigational treatment made by French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis showed “significant” improvement in blood-glucose control in patients with diabetes, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial presented at a scientific meeting.

Sanofi announced the first results of the phase-3 “GetGoal” clinical trial program of lixisenatide, a once-daily treatment for Type 2 diabetes. Results were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes’ 46th annual meeting in Stockholm. The study, conducted over a 12-week period, involved 361 patients. The drug is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, belonging to the same class as Novo Nordisk’s Victoza (liraglutide) and Eli Lilly’s and Amylin Pharmaceuticals’ Byetta (exenatide).

“These results demonstrated lixisenatide as a once-daily GLP-1 agent with substantial A1C reduction and a pronounced effect on post-meal glucose control,” said study investigator and University of Rochester School of Medicine researcher John Gerich. “The pronounced effect on postprandial glucose control provides a rationale to investigate the combined effect of lixisenatide and long-acting insulins in patients with Type 2 diabetes.”