
Tresiba significantly lowers hypo rates
New results from two Phase 3b trials have shown people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes treated with Tresiba® (insulin degludec) experienced significantly lower rates of several types of hypoglycaemia, compared with those treated with insulin glargine U100.
The SWITCH, treat to target, trials – the first-ever double-blinded, crossover basal insulin studies – assessed the safety and efficacy of insulin degludec compared to insulin glargine U100 in patients at high risk of hypoglycaemia with type 1 diabetes (SWITCH 1) and type 2 diabetes (SWITCH 2).
The SWITCH results add important new evidence to the overall body of data supporting the use of insulin degludec
The results were presented over the weekend at the 76th annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in New Orleans, USA.
‘Additional clinical approaches’
Dr Simon Heller, professor of clinical diabetes at Sheffield University, said: “Hypoglycaemia is a common concern for patients I see treated with insulin, particularly night-time episodes that are harder to detect and manage. The SWITCH results add important new evidence to the overall body of data supporting the use of insulin degludec for people living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who experience problematic hypoglycaemia – and provide additional clinical approaches in this important group of patients.”
In SWITCH 1, type 1 diabetes patients on insulin degludec showed:
- Significantly lower rates of severe or blood-glucose confirmed symptomatic hypoglycaemia versus insulin glargine U100 in the maintenance period
- Significantly lower number of severe of blood-glucose confirmed symptomatic nocturnal hypoglycaemia (occurring between the hours of 00:01-05:59) in the maintenance period
- Significantly reduced rate of severe hypoglycaemia in the maintenance period and across total treatment period
- Superiority to insulin glargine U100 regarding a lower proportion of patients experiencing severe hypoglycaemia during maintenance and total treatment periods
- HbA1c non-inferiority of insulin degludec versus insulin glargine U100 at week 32 (6.95 vs 6.92 per cent) and week 64 (6.95 vs. 6.97 per cent)
In SWITCH 2, type 2 diabetes patients on insulin degludec showed:
- Significantly lower rates of severe or blood-glucose confirmed symptomatic hypoglycaemia during the maintenance period
- Significantly lower number of severe or blood-glucose confirmed symptomatic nocturnal hypoglycaemia (occurring between the hours of 00:01-05:59) versus insulin glargine U100, during the maintenance period
- Similar rates of severe hypoglycaemia during the maintenance period versus insulin glargine U100 (significantly lower in the full treatment period)
- HbA1c non-inferiority of insulin degludec versus insulin glargine U100
In the trials, insulin degludec was well-tolerated. Adverse events were comparable between the two treatment arms across both trials. The most common adverse events were nasopharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infections and hypoglycaemia.