Rates of hypoglycaemia are lower in patients treated with insulin degludec/liraglutide (IDegLira) than with IDeg or insulin glargine, regardless of the hypoglycaemia definition used

Superior efficacy with a fixed-ratio combination of insulin degludec and liraglutide (IDegLira) compared with insulin degludec and liraglutide in insulin-naïve Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes in a phase 3, open-label, randomized trial

AIMS

To investigate the efficacy and safety of insulin degludec/liraglutide (IDegLira) compared with its individual components in Japanese people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) uncontrolled on an oral antidiabetic drug (OAD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This 52-week, open-label, multicentre, treat-to-target trial randomized participants (n = 819) 1:1:1 to IDegLira, liraglutide 1.8 mg or degludec, as add-on to their pre-trial OAD. The maximum IDegLira dose was 50 dose steps (50 U degludec/1.8 mg liraglutide), there was no maximum dose for degludec, and both were titrated based on individual blood glucose measurements.

RESULTS

After 52 weeks, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) decreased by 26 mmol/mol with IDegLira vs 20 mmol/mol with degludec and liraglutide: estimated treatment differences were -6.91 mmol/mol (95% confidence interval [CI] -8.18; -5.64) and -5.30 mmol/mol (95% CI -6.58; -4.03), confirming non-inferiority of IDegLira to degludec and superiority of IDegLira to liraglutide (P < .0001 for both [primary endpoint]). Mean body weight changes were 2.9 kg, 4.1 kg and -1.0 kg with IDegLira, degludec and liraglutide, respectively, showing superiority of IDegLira versus degludec (P = .0001), but a significant difference in favour of liraglutide (P < .0001). Rates of severe or blood glucose-confirmed hypoglycaemia for IDegLira were lower versus degludec (rate ratio 0.48 [95% CI 0.35; 0.68]; P < .0001), but higher versus liraglutide (rate ratio 37.58 [95% CI 19.80; 71.31]; P < .0001). Mean daily total insulin dose was lower with IDegLira (27.7 U) versus degludec (34.8 U; P < .0001). Overall adverse event (AE) rates were similar. In total, 34.9%, 22.9% and 41.8% of IDegLira-, degludec- and liraglutide-treated participants experienced gastrointestinal AEs.

CONCLUSION

IDegLira was superior to degludec and liraglutide in terms of HbA1c reduction and superior to degludec in terms of body weight change and rates of hypoglycaemia in Japanese people with T2D.

Rates of hypoglycaemia are lower in patients treated with insulin degludec/liraglutide (IDegLira) than with IDeg or insulin glargine, regardless of the hypoglycaemia definition used

AIMS

To re-analyse, using a series of alternative hypoglycaemia definitions, the data from 2 trials, DUAL I and V, in which the once-daily, fixed ratio combination of insulin degludec/liraglutide (IDegLira) was compared with basal insulin therapy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Post hoc analyses of the DUAL I (patients uncontrolled on oral antidiabetic drugs) and DUAL V (patients uncontrolled on insulin glargine (IGlar) U100) trials were carried out using different definitions of hypoglycaemia and according to whether treatments were administered in the morning or afternoon. Rates of hypoglycaemia for the definitions of confirmed and American Diabetes Association (ADA)-documented symptomatic hypoglycaemia were compared according to age, gender and body mass index (BMI).

RESULTS

Although hypoglycaemia rates differed according to the alternative hypoglycaemia definitions, rates were consistently lower with IDegLira vs insulin degludec (IDeg) and IGlar U100. Despite glycated haemoglobin concentrations being lower with IDegLira at end of treatment, confirmed and nocturnal-confirmed hypoglycaemia rates were lower for IDegLira vs IDeg and IGlar U100, irrespective of dosing time. The definitions of confirmed and ADA-documented symptomatic hypoglycaemia did not have a significant effect on the treatment difference between IDegLira and IDeg, liraglutide or IGlar U100 when further assessed by baseline age, gender and BMI.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with IDegLira, vs IDeg and IGlar U100, resulted in lower rates of hypoglycaemia regardless of dosing time and definition of hypoglycaemia used. The choice of hypoglycaemia definition did not influence the results of analyses when stratified by age, sex and BMI.