Diabetes drug appears to prevent substantial weight gain in female ex-smokers

Dulaglutide.  a Type 2 diabetes treatment, appears to significantly lower the risk of weight gain among women who have stopped smoking, researchers reported after a secondary analysis of clinical trial data. They published their findings on Dec. 19, 2023 in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health. As background, the authors noted, “Women seem to have more difficulty quitting smoking than men. This […]

Diabetes drugs appear to lower colorectal cancer risk

Glucagon-like receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), a class of type 2 diabetes drug treatments, appear to also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) researchers reported on Dec. 7, 2023 in JAMA Oncology. “Our results clearly demonstrate that GLP-1 RAs are significantly more effective than popular anti-diabetic drugs, such as Metformin or insulin, at preventing the development of CRC,” said co-lead […]

Under-the-skin implant could treat Type I diabetes

A collaboration between researchers from Cornell and University of Alberta, Edmonton, has created a new technique to treat Type 1 diabetes: implanting a device inside a pocket under the skin that can secrete insulin while avoiding the immunosuppression that typically stymies management of the disease. The approach would offer an easier, long-term and less invasive alternative to insulin injections or […]

Semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) shows 3-year efficacy for blood sugar control and weight loss

Data from a “real world” study indicates that treatment with the semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) for type 2 diabetes significantly improves both blood sugar control and weight loss for up to 3 years in adults. The findings were released on Oct 2, 2023 from the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). “Our long-term analysis of semaglutide […]

Wearable devices show who may need more help managing diabetes

A new Dartmouth study in the journal Science Advances suggests that how well people with diabetes manage their blood sugar depends on their experience with the condition and their overall success in controlling their glucose levels, as well as on the season and time of day. The findings could help physicians identify those patients who could benefit from more guidance in regulating their […]

An implantable device could enable injection-free control of diabetes

One promising approach to treating Type 1 diabetes is implanting pancreatic islet cells that can produce insulin when needed, which can free patients from giving themselves frequent insulin injections. However, one major obstacle to this approach is that once the cells are implanted, they eventually run out of oxygen and stop producing insulin. To overcome that hurdle, MIT engineers have […]

“Night Owls” at greater risk of diabetes

Persons with an evening ‘chronotype”’ (going to bed late and waking up late), have a 19 percent increased risk of diabetes compared to those with a morning chronotype, and after accounting for lifestyle factors. These findings were published on Sept. 11, 2023 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. “When we controlled for unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, the strong association between chronotype […]

FDA approves Jardiance for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in children 10 years and older – Boehringer Ingelheim + Eli Lilly

The FDA has approved Jardiance (empagliflozin) 10 mg and 25 mg tablets to lower blood sugar along with diet and exercise in children 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company announced Jardiance is not recommended in patients with type 1 diabetes. It may increase the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis in these patients. […]

Diabetes drug shows promise for “blinding headache” condition

Exenatide, an injectable treatment for type 2 diabetes, has shown efficacy for the treatment of ‘blinding’ headaches known as idiopathic intercranial hypertension (IIH). Researchers from a phase 2 trial reported the finding on March 12, 2023 in the journal Brain. Lead investigator Alex Sinclair, Professor of Neurology in the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research at the University of Birmingham […]

Another step toward an insulin tablet

For the millions of people living with diabetes, insulin is a life-saving drug. Unlike many other medicines, though, insulin cannot be easily delivered by swallowing a pill — it needs to be injected under the skin with a syringe or pump. Researchers have been making steps toward an insulin pill, and now, a team reports in ACS Nano that they’ve delivered insulin […]