New type 2 diabetes drug recommended for European approval

Empagliflozin is the latest type 2 diabetes drug to be recommended, by the European Medicines Agency, for approval for use by patients.
The drug has been developed by a pharmaceutical pairing of Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly. If the medication secures approval, it will be marketed under the name Jardiance.
The treatment is an SGLT-2 inhibitor (sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor) and could represent an alternative choice for patients and doctors to the drug Forxiga (dapagliflozin) which has been approved for use in the UK. Another SGLT-2 drug, Invokana (canagliflozin) has been approved for use in Europe and is currently being appraised by NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence).
SGLT-2 inhibitors work in a unique way by reducing the amount of glucose the kidneys reabsorb back into the blood. In this way, the drugs help lower blood glucose levels and, as calories in the glucose are being passed out of the body, the medications also are effective for weight loss.
NICE is ready to appraise empagliflozi, when or if the drug becomes officially approved in Europen, and has drafted its scope for a technology appraisal of the medication.
Diabetes.co.uk will continue bring news should the drug be approved. For an overview of drugs for type 2 diabetes, visit the Diabetes.co.uk medications guide.