New fixed dose chemical combinations: the way forward for better diabetes type II management?

Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2016 Nov;17(16):2207-2214. doi: 10.1080/14656566.2016.1241235. Epub 2016 Oct 17.

Abstract

Diabetes type II is a complex disease with unclear pathophysiology. Lack of adherence and high cost of medicines invariably make the management of diabetes type II highly challenging. Newer fixed drug combinations (FDC) are cost effective and can improve the medication adherence thereby prevent the complications of diabetes. Safety and efficacy of newer FDCs are not well established in all populations. Moreover, extrapolating the efficacy and safety data globally may not be pragmatic. Our review will discuss newer chemical combinations available for the treatment of diabetes type II. Areas covered: In the present review, the authors discussed the newer FDCs available as add on therapy to the existing pharmacological interventions of diabetes type II that have shown promising results in various randomised trials with regard to efficacy and safety. Expert opinion: Safety and efficacy data of newer FDCs available as an adjuvant therapy to conventional pharmacological interventions in diabetes type II revealed that fewer new FDCs are promising with their high efficacy and low adverse effect. However, there is a need to explore the place in therapy to establish the utility of FDC in diabetes type II management.

Keywords: Combination therapy; DPP4 inhibitors; GLP-1 agonist; SGLT2 inhibitors; newer FDCs; type 2 diabetes.