Adding dapagliflozin to diabetes regimen may help reduce blood sugar, weight among patients

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.

AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb announced results of an extension to a phase-3 study in which patients took either metformin with dapagliflozin or metformin with a placebo over nearly two years. The study found that patients in the treatment group reduced blood sugar by between 0.48% and 0.78%, while those taking metformin with placebo saw increases of 0.02%.

Patients in the dapagliflozin group also achieved better weight reduction than those in the placebo group.

Results of the study were presented at the 71st scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association.