Novel GLP-1R agonist beinaglutide exhibits favourable hypoglycemic effect in patients with type 2 diabetes

The researchers reported the following findings:

• Both the beinaglutide and IGlar groups showed increased proportions achieving their glycemic target at 8 weeks, and the combination augmented the proportion reaching the glycated haemoglobin target from 25.42% at 8 weeks to 40.68% at 16 weeks.
• The beinaglutide group showed a significant reduction in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure.
• Beinaglutide elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 0.08 mmol/L, and diminished low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 0.21 mmol/L, whereas IGlar showed no effect.
• Though IGlar was more efficient in lowering fasting plasma glucose than beinaglutide at comparable efficacies (to −1.57 mmol/L), this difference was abolished in patients whose fasting C-peptide was ≥0.9 ng/mL.

"Beinaglutide reduces weight, blood glucose, and SBP, and improves lipid metabolism," the researchers wrote. "The fasting C-peptide levels of patients were related to the beinaglutide's hypoglycemic effect, and C-peptide should, therefore, be assessed when using or converting to beinaglutide.

"However, because beinaglutide is a new GLP-1RA, clinical reports on its use are relatively limited, and there is a need for more research data to verify our results," the researchers concluded.

The researchers add that authors of several guidelines recommend GLP-1RA as the first-line treatment of high risk for ASCVD, there is a need to evaluate the beta-cell function of patients to determine whether to use GLP-1RA as a hypoglycemic therapy.

Reference:

Liu, X., Yang, W., Liu, J., Huang, X., Fang, Y., Ming, J., Lai, J., Fu, J., Ji, Q., & Wang, L. The efficacy and safety of beinaglutide alone or in combination with insulin glargine in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are inadequately controlled with oral antihyperglycemic therapy: A multicenter, open-label, randomized trial. Journal of Diabetes. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-0407.13483