FDA Approves Jardiance as the Third SGLT-2 Inhibitor for Type 2 Diabetes in the US
Twitter summary: FDA approves Jardiance as third SGLT-2 inhibitor for #T2D, joins Invokana and Farxiga and potential future for #T1D
On August 1, the FDA announced approval of Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) and Lilly’s SGLT-2 inhibitor Jardiance (empagliflozin). SGLT-2 inhibitors cause the kidneys to excrete excess glucose through the urine, which lowers A1c and can even cause patients to lose weight. After a delay related to manufacturing issues, Jardiance is now the third approved SGLT-2 inhibitor in the US, following Janssen’s Invokana and AstraZeneca’s Farxiga. Jardiance comes as an oral, once-daily tablet, to be taken as an addition to diet and exercise for adults with type 2 diabetes. Jardiance can either be taken alone or in combination with other drugs (e.g., DPP-4 inhibitors, metformin, etc.).
As with other SGLT-2 inhibitors, Jardiance’s main side effects are genital tract infections (6% of people with type 2 diabetes on Jardiance developed a genital infection, compared to 2% of those on placebo). However, many experts say these infections are typically easily managed if they do occur. While SGLT-2 inhibitors are currently only approved for type 2 diabetes, several studies are also exploring the potential benefits for type 1, and some clinics already prescribe them “off-label” for people with type 1. We expect to see multiple SGLT-2 inhibitors approved for type 1 diabetes in the next few years. -AJW
