Insulin glargine 100units/ml / Lixisenatide 33micrograms/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled disposable devices

OBJECTIVES: Our aim in this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of commercially available fixed-ratio combinations (FRCs) of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and basal insulins by a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of people with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We present a systematic review and network meta-analyses of RCTs of individuals with type 2 diabetes randomized to FRCs or to their components for ≥24 weeks. All reports were obtained from PubMed or ClinicalTrials.gov up to February 28, 2022. The primary outcome was glycated hemoglobin (A1C) level attained. Secondary outcomes included fasting plasma glucose, change in body weight, and incident hypoglycemia. Treatment effects were estimated as mean difference (MD) and standard error (SE), or as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using the fixed combination of insulin glargine 100 IU/mL and lixisenatide (iGlarLixi) as reference. RESULTS: We included 29 RCTs from among the 1,404 articles identified. No direct comparisons between FRCs were found. After excluding some insulin-capped trials to reach model consistency, both FRCs were more efficacious regarding A1C than their components, but no difference between FRCs was found (MD, -0.10%; SE, 0.10%). The effect of the fixed combination of insulin degludec and liraglutide (IDegLira) (MD, -0.47 mmol/L; SE, 0.24 mmol/L) and basal insulins was similar to that of iGlarLixi (reference) on fasting glucose, whereas GLP-1RAs had lower efficacy than iGlarLixi. Weight gain was lower with GLP-1RAs and IDegLira (MD, -0.72 kg; SE, 0.32 kg) than with iGlarLixi (reference) and higher with basal insulins. Incident hypoglycemia (based on different definitions) was least frequent with GLP-1RAs, followed by IDegLira (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.39 to 1.57), iGlarLixi (reference), and basal insulins. CONCLUSIONS: For A1C, both FRCs were more efficacious over their individual components, with similar efficacies of the 2 FRCs.

Abstract licence: CC BY

AIM: Non-surgical options for inducing type 2 diabetes remission are limited. We examined whether remission can be achieved by combining lifestyle approaches and short-term intensive glucose-lowering therapy. METHODS: In this trial, 160 patients with type 2 diabetes on none to two diabetes medications other than insulin were randomised to (a) an intervention comprising lifestyle approaches, insulin glargine/lixisenatide and metformin, or (b) standard care. Participants with glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) <7.3% (56 mmol/mol) at 12 weeks were asked to stop diabetes medications and were followed for an additional 52 weeks. The primary outcome was diabetes relapse defined as HbA1c ≥6.5% (48 mmol/mol) at 24 weeks or thereafter, capillary glucose ≥10 mmol/L on ≥50% of readings, or use of diabetes medications, analysed as time-to-event. Main secondary outcomes included complete or partial diabetes remission at 24, 36, 48 and 64 weeks defined as HbA1c <6.5% (48 mmol/mol) off diabetes medications since 12 weeks after randomisation. A hierarchical testing strategy was applied. RESULTS: The intervention significantly reduced the hazard of diabetes relapse by 43% (adjusted hazard ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.40-0.81; p = .002). Complete or partial diabetes remission was achieved in 30 (38.0%) intervention group participants versus 16 (19.8%) controls at 24 weeks and 25 (31.6%) versus 14 (17.3%) at 36 weeks [relative risk 1.92 (95% confidence interval 1.14-3.24) and 1.83 (1.03-3.26), respectively]. The relative risk of diabetes remission in the intervention versus control group was 1.88 (1.00-3.53) at 48 weeks and 2.05 (0.98-4.29) at 64 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: A 12-week intensive intervention comprising insulin glargine/lixisenatide, metformin and lifestyle approaches can induce remission of diabetes.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC

Advancing therapy in T2DM with injectables, i.e., basal insulin (BI) and GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) is recommended after the failure of oral glucose lowering agents (OGLAs), BI alone, or BI in combination with OGLAs, especially in persons with, or at high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). BI and GLP-1RAs can be administered separately or as fixed-ratio combinations (FRCs) for daily use (degludec+liraglutide, IDegLira, glargine-100 + lixisenatide iGlarLixi) or weekly use (icodec+semaglutide, IcoSema). The currently available FRCs IDegLira and iGlarLixi differ in their respective BI as well as GLP-1RA components. Liraglutide predominantly stimulates glucose-dependent endogenous insulin secretion in response to nutrient challenges. In contrast, the rapid-acting lixisenatide primarily delays gastric emptying over a few hours post-dosing with little or no impact on insulin secretion. IDegLira in DUAL studies and iGlarLixi in LixiLan studies appear to have equivalent lowering effects on HbA1c, although IDegLira achieves a greater reduction in body weight. The weekly FRC IcoSema is superior to weekly insulin icodec (COMBINE 1), to semaglutide (COMBINE 2), and non-inferior to basal-bolus insulin therapy (COMBINE 3). Comparison of IcoSema with glargine-100 is ongoing (COMBINE 4). However, all FRCs are limited by the low GLP-1RA dose relative to the insulin delivered. Whenever higher GLP-1RA doses are required (i.e., in obese people), the option of separate dosing of BI and GLP-1RA with independent titration of each component should be considered.

Abstract licence: CC BY