Study breakthrough in Type 2 diabetes treatment

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Results have just been released from the SUSTAIN 6 Trial, funded by Novo Nordisk, which evaluated cardiovascular and other long-term outcomes with semaglutide (a GLP-1 analogue with an extended half-life of approximately one week which permits once-weekly subcutaneous administration).

The results show that in patients with Type 2 diabetes who were at high cardiovascular risk, the rate of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke was significantly lower among patients receiving semaglutide than among those receiving placebo.

The results are published in the New England Journal of Medicine

Professor Steve Bain is the UK Chief Investigator for SUSTAIN 6 and is the Director of the Diabetes Research Unit Cymru (DRU), which is funded by Health and Care Research Wales, based in Swansea University’s Medical School, and Assistant Medical Director for Research and Development for ABM University Health Board.

Professor Steve Bain said: "This is the third study to show cardiovascular benefits of a glucose-lowering therapy, in this case one that is taken once weekly.

"Given that people with Type 2 diabetes are at such high risk of heart attack and stroke, it's a really exciting result which in due course will influence the way we manage this increasingly common condition."

The DRU Cymru network, funded by the Welsh Government, supports a wide variety of research projects currently under way across Wales, covering different aspects of diabetes prevention and care, including:

•    Diabetic Retinopathy 
•    Exercise and Lifestyle
•    Type 1 Diabetes 
•    Obesity and Bariatric Surgery
•    Psychological and Social Aspects of Diabetes 
•    New Therapies and Devices.

Research projects take place in different settings across Wales, including GP surgeries and hospitals.  For some research, such as clinical trials, advanced clinical research and laboratory facilities are essential. 

Find out more about the work of the Diabetes Research Unit.