Pancreatitis Risks And A Pair Of Diabetes Drug

Yet another potentially worrisome sign for a pair of widely used diabetes drugs. A new study indicates that Merck’ Januvia and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s as Byetta can double the risk of developing pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas that is linked to cancer and kidney failure. This is the same issue that has plagued both drugs over the past few years. The study, which examined insurance records for more than 2,500 diabetics between February 2005 and December 2008, found that patients hospitalized with pancreatitis were twice as likely to be taking either of the drugs than a control group of Type 2 diabetics who did not have pancreatitis. However, the study did not examine other meds, such as Novo Nordisk’s Victoza (NVO), that were not yet available at that time (here is the abstract). The question now is whether these results will alter treatment practice by physicians, even though the specter of pancreatitis has hovered over these drugs for years. As far back as 2007, the FDA reported receiving a large number of cases associated with Byetta (back stories here and here) and a similar alert was issued for Januvia two years later (read more here). Since then, other studies have offered reminders and indicated that physician prescribing habits have been affected (see this). The issue also placed a cloud over Victoza last year when the Public Citizen consumer group filed a petition with the FDA to ask the agency to withdraw the drug (look here)....
Source: Pharmalot - Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Bristol Myers Squibb Byetta Diabetes Eli Lilly Januvia Merck Novo Nordisk Victoza Source Type: blogs