Managing Diabetes with Weekly Insulin

Researchers have developed a once-weekly insulin shot that could replace daily injections for people with type 2 diabetes. The insulin, called ECO-DEC, was found to be as effective as daily doses in a clinical trial. It works by steadily releasing insulin throughout the week. While ECO-DEC showed better results in lowering blood sugar levels, it also had a higher risk of low blood sugar compared to daily insulin. The lead researcher expects FDA approval by the end of the year. A weekly insulin regimen could improve treatment adherence and benefit patients struggling to control blood sugar. Hello and welcome to medtalksdaily, now on today's episode, Diabetes. What will happen if you ask a diabetic patient to take insulin weekly instead of daily? Yes, we will talk about once-weekly insulin. Researchers have made significant progress in the development of a convenient once-a-week insulin shot that could potentially replace the need for daily injection in people with type 2 diabetes. Phase 3 clinical trial results of the once-weekly insulin formulation, known as ECO-DEC, have shown comparable effectiveness to daily doses of insulin, Deglu-DEC. Dr. Ildiko Lingwe, the lead researcher from the UT Southwestern Medical Center, believes that this groundbreaking product has the potential to revolutionize diabetes management. With more than 37 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes, a substantial portion of whom have type 2 diabetes, the introduction of once-weekly insulin regimen could offer significant advantages. Currently, approximately one-third of individuals with type 2 diabetes rely on daily insulin injection to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. However, the inconvenience and complexities associated with daily doses often lead to delayed initiation of insulin therapy, putting patients at risk of long-term complications. ECO-DEC, functioning as a time-release insulin attached to albumin in the blood, creating an inactive depot that steadily releases insulin throughout the week. The effectiveness of ECO-DEC was assessed in a study involving 564 previously untreated individuals with type 2 diabetes. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either once-weekly ECO-DEC injections alongside a daily placebo or daily Deglu-DEC injections with a weekly placebo. Results indicated that both groups experienced similar improvements in blood glucose levels, with slightly better outcomes observed in the ECO-DEC group after 26 weeks of treatment. Notably, ECO-DEC demonstrated superior performance compared to daily insulin in lowering blood sugar levels. While ECO-DEC showed remarkable efficacy, individuals using it were more likely to experience moderate to severe hypoglycemia, a condition known as low blood sugar levels, which is compared to those on Deglu-DEC. However, no severe hypoglycemia episodes necessitating emergency medical attention were reported. Dr. Lingwe anticipates hearing back from the U.S. FDA regarding the approval of ECO-DEC by the end of this year, paving the way for its availability in the near future. The introduction of a once-weekly insulin shot like ECO-DEC holds the promise of reducing the burden for individuals with diabetes. Dr. Robert Gebe, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of the American Diabetes Association, emphasizes that a weekly insulin regimen could enhance treatment adherence and significantly aid diabetes management. The convenience of weekly insulin injections could benefit stay-at-home seniors, teenagers, and patients struggling to maintain blood sugar control. The positive feedback from patients involved in the clinical trial underscores the anticipation and enthusiasm for this new treatment option. Thank you to all listeners for listening to my first podcast. If you like this podcast, like, share, and follow us.