Tradjenta successful in elderly Type 2 Diabetes patients
Data published in The Lancet showed that elderly people with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) treated for 24 weeks with Tradjenta (linagliptin) from Boehringer and Eli Lilly experienced significant reductions in blood glucose levels (HbA1c) compared with those receiving placebo. In addition, the overall safety and tolerability profile of linagliptin was similar to placebo. This was a 24-week, double-blind, parallel-group, multinational, Phase III study in 241 elderly people (mean age, 74.9 years) with T2D randomized to receive linagliptin 5 mg or placebo, in addition to existing glucose-lowering drugs.
The study showed that the mean change from baseline in HbA1c with linagliptin was -0.64 percent after 24 weeks, which showed superiority versus placebo. The percentage of people with any adverse event was the same in both treatment groups (75.9 percent). See: "Linagliptin for patients aged 70 years or older with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with common antidiabetes treatments: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial." Barnett A et al. The Lancet August 13, 2013 doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61500-7