Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The global burden of type 2 diabetes is growing. Traditional therapies are suboptimal and there is a clear unmet need for treatments that offer effective glucose control while addressing the comorbid factors associated with diabetes, such as obesity and risk of cardiovascular disease, without the fear of hypoglycaemia. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors offer a novel way of reducing hyperglycaemia by targeting the incretin system. This review provides an overview of the development of incretin-based therapies and explains their differing modes of action compared with traditional interventions. A comparison of the clinical profiles of current glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists [liraglutide and exenatide (twice-daily and once-weekly)] and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (sitagliptin, saxagliptin, vildagliptin and linagliptin) is performed alongside a discussion of the placement of incretin-based therapies in treatment guidelines. Further improvements in this class are expected, and we will examine some of the novel glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors currently under development.

Original publication

DOI

10.1111/j.1365-2265.2012.04483.x

Type

Journal article

Journal

Clin Endocrinol (Oxf)

Publication Date

10/2012

Volume

77

Pages

489 - 499

Keywords

Animals, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors, Exenatide, Glucagon-Like Peptide 1, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor, Humans, Hypoglycemic Agents, Incretins, Liraglutide, Peptides, Receptors, Glucagon, Venoms