New once-weekly formulation of exenatide for type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing in prevalence and a major threat to health. Unfortunately, 60% of patients do not achieve a target HbA1c of .7%. Reasons for this include compliance issues, sideeffects, weight gain and fear of hypoglycaemia. A new once-weekly preparation of exenatide, a GLP-1 mimetic, has shown promise in patient-focussed perspectives such as quality of life, satisfaction and compliance. In this article the authors consider the clinical evidence to date relating to efficacy and adverse effects and the implications of these in the treatment of T2D.