Diabetes drug Bydureon found not to cause heart problems in study

Fri, 08 Jul 2011
New research on the once-a-week type 2 diabetes drug Bydureon has found that it appears to be safe for the heart, it has emerged. The drug has been developed by Alkermes Inc. and marketed by Amylin as a replacement for Byetta, a medication that is injected twice daily.

Bydureon was delayed by federal review in 2010, prompting further research into its effects on the heart as a next-generation version of Byetta, and which is based on technology that gradually releases the drug during the week.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said at the time they required more information on its effect on the heart, especially following reported problems with the diabetes medication Avandia, which is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, being associated with an increase in the risk of heart attacks.

The new study involved 75 diabetes patients, and revealed that Bydureon did not appear to interfere with the electrical activity of the heart even with a high dosage, a crucial key safety measure in drug trials.

Christian Weyer, a senior vice president at Amylin Pharmaceuticals, commented "We are confident in these results and will continue to work toward making Bydureon available to patients in the US as soon as possible." Bydureon was also approved by European Union regulators in June.

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