Abstract
Incretin-based therapies represent a new and innovative treatment modality in the management of Type 2 diabetes. Their therapeutic actions address many of the key metabolic defects in the pathophysiology of diabetes. Incretin hormones augment insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner. They have a low risk of inducing hypoglycemia, unlike many other antidiabetic medications. They also have the beneficial effect of being associated with early satiety, decreased caloric intake and weight loss. Exenatide was the first incretin-based therapy to be licensed for use and has now been developed in a once-weekly preparation. We review the evidence base for the use of exenatide and discuss the implications for the management of diabetes.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
D Russell-Jones has served as an investigator on clinical trials sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company and Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and is an advisory board member for Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. He has received education/research grant support from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.