Daiichi Sankyo announces ‘new treatment option’ to lower blood glucose in diabetes patients

Daiichi Sankyo has announced that Welchol (colesevelam HCl) offers doctors a new treatment option to reduce blood glucose and LDL cholesterol in patients with type two diabetes.

Pivotal results presented earlier this year at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association showed that the compound can reduce LDL cholesterol and A1C levels in patients previously uncontrolled on a metformin-based treatment regimen.

The addition of Welchol to the metformin therapy showed a mean reduction of A1C levels of 0.47 per cent when compared to the addition of placebo, while further studies showed the Welchol treatment group achieving lower LDL cholesterol levels compared to those patients receiving placebo.

Joseph P Pieroni, president and chief executive officer of Daiichi Sankyo, said: “We are excited by the opportunity to help more patients with chronic conditions reach their recommended health goals.”

He added that the recent approval of the compound by the US Food and Drug Administration marks a key landmark for the companies growing presence in the US and underlines its ongoing dedication to fighting metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.

In January 2007, Daiichi Sankyo forecast that Welchol could be of great benefit to to a number of patients.