Tulane University researchers say that a single drug for keeping both glucose and cholesterol levels of patients with type 2 diabetes under check may soon be available.

Lead researcher Dr. Vivian A. Fonseca, Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology at Tulane University School of Medicine, says that the compound colesevelam HCl, in combination with Sulfonylurea-based therapy has been found to significantly reduce glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

“People with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol face a number of challenges in keeping their glucose levels and cholesterol in check. This study demonstrated the potential to improve two important metabolic parameters with one drug,” Fonseca said, while presenting his team’s findings at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists’ 16th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress.

The researchers conducted a clinical trial, dividing patients into two groups—experimental group (receiving colesevelam HCl), and control group (receiving placebo).

It was found that patients in the experimental group had had significant reductions in blood sugar levels, besides registering a substantial improvement in their lipid profiles over their counterparts in the control group.

The US Food and Drug Administration is currently assessing an application for the commercial production and sale of the drug.

As per the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association, patients with type 2 diabetes should control their glucose levels, and keep their blood sugar level at less than seven per cent.

The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that such patients keep their cholesterol levels in check, and target a goal of less than 100 mg/dL for “bad cholesterol” levels in the blood.

Source-ANI
SRM/C