ADA: Empagliflozin added to metformin showed greater reductions in blood glucose, body weight versus glimepiride

In a 2-year study, empagliflozin as add-on to metformin demonstrated significantly greater decreases in hemoglobin A_1c (a measure of average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months), body weight and blood pressure compared with glimepiride as add-on to metformin in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Data from the study of 1,545 randomized and treated adults with type 2 diabetes that compared the efficacy and safety profiles of empagliflozin 25 mg with glimepiride, each in combination with metformin, were presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions in San Francisco.

Other findings included:

• Mean reduction in A_1c levels was 0.66% for empagliflozin compared with 0.55% for glimepiride.

• Mean change in body weight was a loss of 3.1 kg for empagliflozin compared with a gain of 1.3 kg for glimepiride.

• Mean change in systolic blood pressure was a reduction of 3.1 mm Hg for empagliflozin compared with an increase of 2.5 mm Hg for glimepiride.

• Mean change in diastolic blood pressure was a reduction of 1.8 mm Hg for empagliflozin compared with an increase of 0.9 mm Hg for glimepiride.

Significantly fewer hypoglycemic events were reported for empagliflozin compared with glimepiride (2.5% vs. 24.2%, respectively). Overall adverse event rates in the two arms were 86.4% and 86.3% for empagliflozin and glimepiride, respectively. Urinary tract infections were reported in 13.7% of patients in the empagliflozin arm and 13.1% of patients in the glimepiride arm, and genital infections were reported in 11.8% and 2.2% for empagliflozin and glimepiride, respectively.

“This study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety profiles of empagliflozin 25 mg with glimepiride, each in combination with metformin among patients with type 2 diabetes,” said Christophe Arbet-Engels, MD, PhD, vice president, metabolic-clinical development and medical affairs, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. “This new data adds to the clinical profile for empagliflozin and bolsters its large clinical registration program.” 

Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company sponsored the study.