Diabetes drug may reduce stroke, CV deaths

Jardiance is the first diabetes drug that has also been shown to lower strokes, heart attacks and cardiovascular deaths, according to a new study.

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The manufacturers, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company, said the long-term clinical trial, EMPA-REG OUTCOME, demonstrated the superiority of Jardiance when added to standard of care, in cardiovascular (CV) risk reduction.

“Jardiance is the only glucose-lowering agent to have demonstrated CV risk reduction in a dedicated cardiovascular outcomes trial,” according to a statement from Eli Lilly. Detailed results of the study will be presented on September 17 at the 51st European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.

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"Approximately 50% of deaths in people with type 2 diabetes worldwide are caused by cardiovascular disease. Reducing cardiovascular risk is an essential component of diabetes management," said Prof. Hans-Juergen Woerle, global vice president of medicine, Boehringer Ingelheim.

The groundbreaking study may cause Jardiance to become the oral drug of choice after metformin, Steve Scala with Cowen & Co told Forbes. “Given today’s data, we expect Jardiance to gain market share over DPP-4s as Nesina (Takeda), Onglyza (AZN) and Januvia (MRK) did not show a CV benefit in previous CV trials.”

EMPA-REG OUTCOME was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that involved more than 7,000 individuals from 42 countries observed for a median of 3.1 years. The study was designed to assess the effect of Jardiance (10 mg or 25 mg once daily) added to standard of care, compared with placebo added to standard of care, on CV events in adults with T2D at high risk of CV events and with less-than-optimized blood glucose control. 

The standard of care was comprised of glucose lowering agents and cardiovascular drugs, including antihypertensive and lipid lowering agents, according to the manufacturers.

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