Canagliflozin provides durable glycemic improvements and body weight reduction over 104 weeks versus glimepiride in patients with type 2 diabetes on metformin: a randomized, double-blind, phase 3 study

Abstract

Objective: To assess the efficacy/safety of canagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, compared with glimepiride over 104 weeks in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin.

Research design and methods: In this randomized, double-blind study, patients (N = 1,450) received canagliflozin 100 or 300 mg or glimepiride (titrated up to 6 or 8 mg/day) during a 52-week core period followed by a 52-week extension.

Results: At week 104, reductions from baseline in A1C were -0.65%, -0.74%, and -0.55% (-7.1, -8.1, and -6.0 mmol/mol) with canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg and glimepiride, respectively. Durability analyses showed sustained A1C lowering with both canagliflozin doses versus glimepiride. Reductions in body weight (-4.1%, -4.2%, and 0.9%, respectively) and systolic blood pressure (-2.0, -3.1, and 1.7 mmHg, respectively) were seen with canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg compared with glimepiride at week 104. The overall adverse event (AE) incidence was 73.3%, 77.9%, and 78.4% with canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg and glimepiride; the incidence of AE-related discontinuations was low across groups (6.2%, 9.5%, and 7.3%, respectively). Incidences of genital mycotic infections, urinary tract infections, and osmotic diuresis-related AEs were higher with canagliflozin than glimepiride; these were generally mild to moderate in intensity and led to few discontinuations. Fewer patients had hypoglycemia episodes with canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg than glimepiride (6.8%, 8.2%, and 40.9%). Mild decreases in estimated glomerular filtration rate occurred initially with canagliflozin; these attenuated over 104 weeks.

Conclusions: Canagliflozin provided durable glycemic improvements compared with glimepiride and was generally well tolerated in patients with type 2 diabetes receiving background treatment with metformin over 104 weeks.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00968812.