Objective: The objective was to compare the treatment effects between exenatide and insulin, which are 2 injectable peptide hormone-based therapy options for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods: Data from 4 randomized, open-label, comparator-controlled clinical trials in 1423 patients with type 2 diabetes followed for 16 to 52 weeks were pooled and analyzed.
Results: At 26 weeks, glycemic control with exenatide (-1.2% HbA1c) was non-inferior to insulin (-1.1%; exenatide vs insulin; P = 0.09). In a tertile analysis of HbA1c reduction from baseline, exenatide induced similar reductions compared with insulin, with the greatest reductions observed in the tertile with the highest baseline HbA1c (9%-12.7%). Exenatide treatment induced weight loss (-2 kg) and reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) from baseline (SBP, -4.9 mm Hg, exenatide vs insulin; P < 0.0001). In contrast, insulin treatment increased body weight (1.8 kg) and decreased SBP by -0.4 mm Hg. Overall, about 3-fold more exenatide-treated patients (70%) experienced weight loss compared with those treated with insulin (21%). Occurrence of nocturnal mild-to-moderate hypoglycemia was lower with exenatide (15%) treatment than with insulin (29%; difference, -14; [95% CI, -18, -9.8]). Effects of exenatide on HbA1c and weight were sustained at 52 weeks.
Conclusion: These findings indicate that exenatide is non-inferior to insulin for glycemic control. Further studies are warranted to explore the effects of exenatide on blood pressure and body weight, and the potential for long-term effects on cardiovascular outcomes.