Once-weekly injection of exenatide, sold in the U.S. as Bydureon, has been approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It’s the first-ever once-weekly drug for type 2 diabetes. Bydureon’s main competitors are Byetta (exenatide injected twice daily) and Victoza (liraglutide). Byetta and Bydureon are made by the same company, Amylin Pharmaceuticals. Bydureon is a slow-release formulation of exenatide.
Victoza is the one that celebrity chef Paula Deen endorsed about a month ago, around the same time she revealed she’s had type 2 diabetes for three years. Victoza’s injected once daily.
The New York Times has a January 27, 2012, article on Bydureon, focusing on business and investing. The new drug is expected to retail for $4,200 (USD) a year.
Click for complete prescribing information.
Click for a press release approved by Amylin.
David Mendosa is excited about Bydureon.
These drugs are in a class called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which mimic the effect of glucagonlike peptide-1, a hormone that increases insulin secretion by the pancreas when blood sugar levels are high. They are prescribed as adjuncts to diet and exercise in adults with type 2 diabetes.
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