The number of people with diabetes has increased dramatically in recent years. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that the number of patients will reach 642 million in 17 years, of which type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is the most common type of diabetes. The most worrying thing is that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is gradually showing a trend of younger people.

The latest data of Tirzepatide is released, and diabetic patients are expected to achieve efficient blood sugar control

The treatment of type 2 diabetes is mainly to control blood sugar. Although there are many drugs on the market for the treatment of this disease, most patients do not reach the target blood sugar value. Researchers have found that Tirzepatide can effectively improve blood sugar, and patients in the Asia-Pacific region benefit more significantly, which is good news for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Big news! FDA approves dual-target efficient blood sugar control drug-Tirzepatide for listing in the United States

On May 13, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the listing of Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Tirzepatide) developed by Eli Lilly and Company in the United States, and approved it for use in conjunction with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Actual photos of tesiparatide

1. What is the mechanism of action of tesiparatide?

Type 2 diabetes is mostly caused by the body's inability to produce or use insulin normally, resulting in elevated glucose (sugar) levels in the blood. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) are hormones involved in blood sugar control. As a dual-target, highly effective glucose control drug, tesiparatide can activate GLP-1 and GIP receptors, thereby improving hormone control of blood sugar.

2. How do patients with type 2 diabetes use tesiparatide?

Tesiparatide is administered by subcutaneous injection. The dose can be adjusted according to the patient's tolerance to achieve the target blood sugar value. The recommended dose is as follows:

(1) The recommended starting dose is 2.5 mg, subcutaneously injected once a week. This dose is used to start treatment and cannot be used for blood sugar control.

(2) After 4 weeks, increase the dose to 5 mg, subcutaneously once a week. If additional blood sugar control is required, the dose should be continued for at least 4 weeks, and the dose should be increased by 2.5 mg based on the current dose.

(3) The maximum dose of tesiparatide is 15 mg, subcutaneously once a week.

(4) If a dose is missed, it should be taken as soon as possible within 4 days after the missed dose, and at least 3 days should be left between the missed dose and the next dose. If the patient misses tesiparatide for more than 4 days, there is no need to take a supplementary dose. Inject the next dose according to the normal medication plan, and then resume taking the drug once a week.

A major breakthrough in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, tesiparatide has a miraculous effect in lowering blood sugar.

Patrick Archdeacon, MD, deputy director of the Diabetes, Lipid Disorders and Diabetes Division in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said, "Achieving target blood sugar levels remains a challenge for many patients, and the approval of tesiparatide will be a major advancement in the treatment of type 2 diabetes."

This conclusion is based on the FDA's meta-analysis of multiple tesiparatide-related clinical trials. Researchers found that patients who were randomized to receive the maximum recommended dose of the drug as a monotherapy had a 1.6% lower glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level than placebo, and when used in combination with long-acting insulin, it was 1.5% lower than placebo. In clinical trials comparing tesiparatide with other diabetes drugs, patients who received the maximum recommended dose of the drug had a 0.9% lower glycated hemoglobin level than degludec insulin, 0.5% lower than semaglutide, and 1.0% lower than glargine insulin.

In addition, no severe hypoglycemia was reported in either group during treatment, and the most common adverse reactions included loss of appetite and mild to moderate gastrointestinal adverse reactions (such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting).

The above results are basically consistent with those reported in the previous SURPASS series of trials, indicating that tesiparatide also has good efficacy and safety in patients with type 2 diabetes in the Asia-Pacific region.