Evogliptin for the treatment option for type 2 diabetes: an update of the literature

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors have been the most widely used for type 2 diabetes (T2D) available worldwide since 2006. DPP-4 inhibitors exert their effects by inhibiting dipeptidyl peptidase-4 to increase the concentration of endogenous incretin hormones (incretin hormone analogues and incretin potentiators) and promote insulin secretion, thereby acting as a glucose regulator. Evogliptin is a new member of the DPP-4 inhibitor family with high selectivity and low risk of hypoglycemia, and extensive clinical data has been accumulated in its treatment of T2D since its introduction in October 2015.

Areas covered

This review summarized the recently reported studies associated with the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety and tolerability, and clinical application of evogliptin for managing T2D. We searched the MEDLINE and PubMed databases with the titles ‘evogliptin’ to identify all the information. The abstracts and posters of the annual meetings of ADA and EASD and clinicalTrials.gov. have been searched up to now.

Expert commentary

Evogliptin is a potent, orally effective, and highly selective DPP-4 inhibitor that is not only indicated for the treatment of T2D but may also be beneficial to arterial inflammation and atherosclerosis, with good safety and tolerance.

KEYWORDS:

• Dipeptidyl peptidase-4
• evogliptin
• type 2 diabetes
• atherosclerosis
• pharmacokinetics

Article highlights

• Evogliptin is a potent, orally effective, and highly selective DPP-4 inhibitor for type 2 diabetes, as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs.

• Evogliptin is beneficial for arterial inflammation and atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

• The fat loss effect of evogliptin was observed in patients with type 2 diabetes, which is partly associated with increased energy consumption and changes in water metabolism.

• The use of evogliptin has little risk of hypoglycemia.

• Evogliptin has extra benefits on nonalcoholic fatty liver progression in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.