Diabetes

BURLINGTON, Mass. — Novo Nordisk could be outpacing Eli Lilly and Amylin Pharmaceuticals in the diabetes wars, according to an analysis by healthcare market research firm Decision Resources.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — As many as 85% of people with diabetes identified fatigue as one of their leading daily challenges, according to a recent survey of 8,000 diabetics commissioned by Diabetica Research Solutions.

Only 6% of survey respondents noted, however, that they use energy drinks.

SAN DIEGO — A once-monthly formulation of a drug made by Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly and Alkermes improved glucose control in patients with Type 2 diabetes, according to results of a mid-stage clinical trial presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 71st Scientific Sessions.

The three companies said once-monthly injections of the drug exenatide improved blood-sugar control and produced modest weight loss in the 121-patient phase-2 study.

BOSTON — People with lower percentages of body fat are not necessarily at lower risk for diabetes and heart disease, according to a new international study.

The study identified a gene that is linked with having less body fat but also with having an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The investigators examined the genomes of more than 75,000 people and found that the gene, IRS1, was linked to less body fat, but also to unhealthy levels of cholesterol and blood glucose.

SAN DIEGO — Patients with Type 1 diabetes using an insulin product made by MannKind expressed a better opinion about insulin therapy than those taking the standard treatment, according to a study presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 71st Scientific Sessions.

MannKind said that patients taking the investigational inhaled insulin Afrezza (insulin human [rDNA origin]) with basal insulin came to view insulin therapy more positively during the 16-week study than those taking Eli Lilly’s injected Humalog (insulin lispro [rDNA origin]) with basal insulin.

FRESNO, Calif. — Consuming nuts in place of carbohydrates may help improve long-term blood-sugar control and lower cholesterol levels among Type 2 diabetics, according to a new study.

SAN DIEGO — Adding an investigational drug for Type 2 diabetes to the common generic drug metformin helped control blood sugar in patients who could not control their blood sugar with metformin alone, according to results of a late-stage clinical study.

SAN DIEGO — A cobranded Type 2 diabetes treatment may help reduce blood-sugar levels among patients when combined with insulin (with or without metformin), according to a late-stage clinical trial.

AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb said that when Onglyza (saxagliptin) in the 5-mg strength was combined with insulin (with or without metformin), patients saw significantly lower HbA1C levels by an average of about 0.73% by the end of the phase-3 trial, compared with a placebo-insulin (with or without metformin) combination.