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diabetes could be treated weekly instead of daily

international clinical trials found a new once-a-week treatment for type 2 diabetes to be an effective and convenient alternative.

by dave yasvinski

apr 20 2021
read time 3 minute read
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diabetes could one day be treated weekly instead of daily
new trials suggest people with type 2 diabetes may one day only need weekly insulin therapy. getty
people with type 2 diabetes got a shot of good news on monday from researchers who may have found a way to make insulin therapy a weekly event instead of a daily grind.

a pair of international clinical trials, detailed in diabetes care , found the new once-a-week treatment to be an effective and convenient alternative for millions of people around the world. “insulin treatment is burdensome, requires frequent injections and continues to carry a certain stigma,” said ildiko lingvay , the lead author of one of the studies and a professor of internal medicine and population and data sciences at the university of texas southwestern medical school. “the development of an effective and safe insulin that can be administered once a week is a huge advance in the field.”

roughly 2.3 million canadians reported a diabetes diagnosis as of 2017, according to statistics canada , with type 2 diabetes accounting for 90 to 95 per cent of cases . the metabolic disease occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or is unable to properly process the insulin it does produce. in addition to increasing the risk of things such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, diabetes can also reduce quality of life through the burden of the daily management of symptoms.

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there are three main forms of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational. type 1 is an autoimmune disease that usually develops in childhood in which the body attacks the pancreas, preventing it from producing its own insulin. type 2 — which accounts for the vast majority of cases — occurs when people’s bodies either do not produce enough insulin or are unable to use it properly. this form of the disease usually manifests in adulthood, and while it can sometimes be managed through diet and exercise, insulin therapy is often required. gestational diabetes is a temporary version of the disease that affects between three and 20 per cent of women during pregnancy.
health providers have long sought to reduce the frequency of insulin treatments for patients because the fear of daily injections and the difficulty of properly dosing have only increased patient reluctance to seek help.

balancing low glucose with low glucose events
the first trial for the new treatment therapy involved 205 participants from seven countries — the u.s., croatia, germany, hungary, poland, slovakia, and spain — and included a two-week screening period, 16 weeks of treatment and five weeks of follow-up. it focused on finding the best balance between lowering glucose levels while decreasing low-glucose events.

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the second trial involved 154 patients from five countries — the u.s., canada, the czech republic, germany, and italy — with a similar time frame and sought to determine the best way to move patients from daily to weekly dosing. the team found starting with a higher amount of insulin, what they called a loading dose, helped patients reach optimal glucose levels more quickly. bigger things lie ahead, according to lingvay.
“these two studies served as the stepping stones for a large phase 3 clinical trial program that is currently ongoing at ut southwestern and other sites, which is designed to evaluate the efficacy of once-weekly insulin administration in patients with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes,” she said, adding the new therapy holds profound implications for people with diabetes and their caregivers.
“a weekly insulin is a game-changer that will decrease the treatment burden for patients while also improving compliance. this treatment will also decrease the burden on those who care for patients with diabetes requiring insulin,” she added. “for example, for patients who need help injecting, those living in long-term care facilities, and those with memory problems, a once-weekly insulin will facilitate treatment and decrease the burden on the care providers.”

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for more information on diabetes, support or to connect with other patients, visit diabetes canada.

dave yasvinski is a writer with   healthing.ca

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