Diabetes patients often have to deal with pricking themselves daily with needles. But now there is an easier, simpler option for type 2 diabetes patients.
CBS news sheds light on a new pill for type 2 diabetes patients.
The new pill comes from Astra Zeneca. The Food and Drug Administration finally gave approval after rejecting it once before over cancer and heart risk concerns. But now the company has given much information showing that these risks are minimal.
The drug finally obtained approval after it was determined that its benefits would outweigh its risks. The medication will be in the market under the name Farxiga. “The medicine was co-developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co and AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca late last year bought out Bristol's stake in their diabetes joint venture for more than $4 billion, including upfront and sales-related milestone payments,” according to CBS.
This medication is already available in Europe. CBS explains how the drug works, “It belongs to a class of diabetes drugs called SGL 2 inhibitors. They work by blocking reabsorption of glucose by the kidney and increasing its excretion through urine to lower levels of blood sugar. It will compete with a similar drug from Johnson & Johnson called Invokana, as well as diabetes medicines from other classes. Other drug makers, including Boehringer Ingelheim, are also developing SGLT-2 inhibitors.”
The drug could also possibly cause weight loss.
Many people suffering from diabetes suffer from being overweight thus this could be a great advantage. CBS reports on blood sugar problems as well, “Many Type 2 diabetes patients require two or more medications to get their blood sugar down to target levels. Farxiga was tested in combination with several other widely used medicines.” A member of the FDA issued a statement endorsing the drug, “Farxiga provides an additional treatment option for millions of Americans with Type 2 diabetes.”
