Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly report positive diabetes trial data

Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly have announced positive data from their latest phase IV trial of the type 2 diabetes therapy linagliptin.

The drug was trialled both as a monotherapy and in combination with metformin in treatment-naive adults with newly-diagnosed uncontrolled type 2 diabetes over a 24-week period. A total of 316 patients were involved in the study.

Results showed that linagliptin delivered clinically significant improvements in glucose control and statistically significant reductions in blood glucose levels, both when used alone and in tandem with metformin.

Professor Klaus Dugi, corporate senior vice-president for medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim, said: "Improving glycaemic control in the early stages of type 2 diabetes is important, especially in adults with high glucose levels upon initial diagnosis."

Linagliptin is marketed in approved under the name Trajenta and is used as a once-daily tablet therapy to improve glycaemic control among type 2 diabetes patients.

Last month, the companies highlighted further clinical data showing the positive benefits the drug can provide among vulnerable patient populations.