Vildagliptin-insulin combination improves glycemic control in Asians with type 2 diabetes.

Aim: To assess the efficacy and safety of vildagliptin 50 mg bid as add-on therapy to insulin in Asian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of a subgroup of Asian patients from a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study in T2DM patients inadequately controlled by stable insulin therapy, with or without metformin. A total of 173 patients were randomized 1:1 to receive treatment with vildagliptin 50 mg bid (n = 87) or placebo (n = 86) for 24 wk. Changes in HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG), from baseline to study endpoint, were analyzed using an analysis of covariance model. Change from baseline to endpoint in body weight was summarized by treatment. Safety and tolerability of vildagliptin was also evaluated.

Results: After 24 wk, the difference in adjusted mean change in HbA1c between vildagliptin and placebo was 0.82% (8.96 mmol/mol; P < 0.001) in Asian subgroup, 0.85% (9.29 mmol/mol; P < 0.001) in patients also receiving metformin, and 0.73% (7.98 mmol/mol; P < 0.001) in patients without metformin, all in favor of vildagliptin. There was no significant difference in the change in FPG between treatments. Weight was stable in both treatment groups (+0.3 kg and -0.2 kg, for vildagliptin and placebo, respectively). Overall, vildagliptin was safe and well tolerated with similarly low incidences of hypoglycemia (8.0% vs 8.1%) and no severe hypoglycemic events were experienced in either group.

Conclusion: In Asian patients inadequately controlled with insulin (with or without concomitant metformin), insulin-vildagliptin combination treatment significantly reduced HbA1c compared with placebo, without an increase in risk of hypoglycemia or weight gain.