AstraZeneca reports positive cardiovascular safety data for saxagliptin

AstraZeneca has announced new data that supports the cardiovascular safety profile of its  type 2 diabetes drug saxagliptin.

Results from the observational, retrospective study found no evidence of increased risk of hospitalisation for heart failure with saxagliptin compared with sitagliptin, another dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, in patients with type 2 diabetes.

A similar finding was obtained when comparing the overall DPP-4 class to sulfonylureas. Moreover, DPP-4 treatment was associated with statistically significant lower risk for hospitalisation for heart failure among those without prior cardiovascular disease, compared to treatment with sulfonylureas.

Saxagliptin is marketed in Europe under the brand name Onglyza. It is also featured as part of the combination therapy Komboglyze, which also includes metformin.

Dr Alex Fu, principal investigator for this study and associate professor for Georgetown University Medical Center, said: "These new data provide valuable real-world information regarding the cardiovascular safety of the DPP-4 inhibitor class in patients with type 2 diabetes."

These findings were showcased among the 86 abstracts presented by AstraZeneca at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association in Boston last week.