[Medication of the month... Exenatide (Byetta) incretinomimetic in the treatment of type 2 diabetes after failure and as add-on therapy to oral agents].

Exenatide (Byetta) is a synthetic derivative of exendin-4 and an agonist of receptors of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). It is resistant to the rapid inactivation by dipeptidylpeptidase-4 and acts as an incretin mimetic. It stimulates insulin secretion by the B cell in a glucose-dependent manner whereas it inhibits glucagon secretion. Exenatide improves mainly postprandial glucose concentrations and lowers glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) levels, without being directly responsible for hypoglycaemia or requiring mandatory home blood glucose monitoring. Furthermore, it slows down gastric emptying and promotes sustained body weight reduction, even in absence of frequently reported nausea following treatment initiation. Exenatide is recommended and reimbursed in Belgium for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, in combination with metformin and a sulfonylurea, in patients not adequately controlled with maximal tolerated doses of these oral glucose-lowering agents. Exenatide is presented as pre-filled pens for subcutaneous injection. The recommended initial dose is 5 microg before morning and evening meals, to be up titrated to 10 microg twice daily. Exenatide may represent a valuable alternative to insulin therapy, especially in overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes and not ready to perform home blood glucose monitoring.