Diabetes drug linagliptin shown to be safe in tests

A number of trials into the diabetes drug linagliptin have shown it to be a potential treatment for patients suffering from type 2 diabetes, regardless of the condition or kidney function .
Results from a number of studies, which were presented at the recent Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, found that linagliptin could achieve significant and sustainable reductions in blood sugar levels, as well as suggesting that patients with renal impairment may not require dose adjustment to use the drug safely.
Linaglipti, an DPP-4 inhibitor which is manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim, is once-daily, single-dose oral tablet .
Professor Anthony Barnett, Clinical director of the department of diabetes and endocrinology at the Heart of England NHS foundation trust, commented “Kidney function is an important consideration when prescribing an anti-diabetes therapy . Many type 2 diabetes patients either have, or are a significant risk of developing kidney impairment.”
He added, “Currently available DPP-4 inhibitors are mainly eliminated via the kidney and therefore not recommended in patients with advanced renal impairment. The clinical data for linagliptin seen to date suggest an advantage in this respect due to its primary non-renal route of excretion.”