Almeria endocrinologist involved in national study of innovative Type 2 diabetes drug

ALMERIA endocrinologist is part of a team involved in the national study of an innovative drug to treat Type 2 diabetes

Pedro Mezquita, the Endocrinology specialist at the Torrecardenas Hospital Complex in Almeria, is one of a group of Tirazepida researchers in Spain that is studying an innovative new drug for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, which he has said, “lowers glucose, sugar, more than any other current treatment, including insulin, achieving approximately 90 per cent of the recommended levels”.

Dr Mexquita added, “it is not accompanied by the most feared adverse effect of diabetes therapies, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and produces a significant weight loss. One out of every two patients treated with Tirzepatide decreases their initial weight by more than 10 per cent”.

He considers this to be a very important result, since a large percentage of people who suffer from diabetes also have excess weight that worsens their prognosis, “It also improves other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, such as cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, and lowers transaminases, which are substances that, if elevated, report that the liver is altered”, said the specialist.

The Almeria endocrinologist explained that Tirazepide “is a new treatment under development for type 2 diabetes mellitus, the type of diabetes that begins in adults and does not require permanent initiation of insulin therapy from the beginning. It is administered once a week, with a disposable pre-filled system, similar to a pen, much easier to use than an insulin one, you just need to remove the protection, unlock it with a click, bring it closer to the abdominal area, press the button, and it is injected by itself under the skin”.

Adding, “In the 2000s, the first agonists of the GLP-1 receptor (arGLP-1) were commercialised, which revolutionized the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, especially after the development of weekly injections. From the beginning of this therapeutic group, we wondered if acting on the other incretin target, the insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIP), would add any benefit.

He continued, “The Surpass study program has resolved this question, with solid and robust evidence, showing that, by acting as a dual agonist of GLP-1 and GIP, Tirzepatide provides superior efficacy in glycemic control, weight loss, and lipoprotein improvement, with a safety profile similar to arGLP-1. Surpass-2 is a 40-week, open-label, randomised trial comparing the efficacy and safety of Tirzepatide with semaglutide as an adjunct to metformin in adults with type 2 diabetes”.

The study tested 1,879 participants at random, who had a mean diabetes duration of 8.6 years, a baseline HbA1c of 8.28 per cent, and a baseline weight of 93.7kg, and as Mezquita pointed out, for a few years the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service of the Torrecardenas University Hospital has been able to treat patients who participated in the clinical trials of this drug.

Studies continue, and it is expected that in a few years it will be available for patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, who may benefit from this current research, as reported by diariodealmeria.es.

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