The efficacy and safety of vildagliptin in the GALIANT trial: chronic kidney disease and other applications

Abstract

The number of mechanistically novel antidiabetes agents has dramatically increased over the past few years. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors in particular have emerged as clinically efficacious oral agents for diabetes management with a low incidence of side effects. The Galvus in Addition to Metformin versus Tzd/Metformin in Lowering HbA1c (GALIANT) trial showed that vildagliptin as an add-on therapy was noninferior to thiazolidinedione therapy with regard to reduction in hemoglobin A1c, with both drugs having a similar incidence of side effects in patients with normal and impaired renal function. DPP-4 inhibitors have a low incidence of hypoglycemia without significant weight gain and there is strong evidence that the administration of vildagliptin results in improved α- and β-cell function. New data suggest that DPP-4 inhibitors might also have a role in the setting of myocardial infarction and lipid management, and in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.

Keywords: DPP-4 inhibitors; GALIANT trial; dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors; vildagliptin.