Julio Rosenstock1, Vivian A Fonseca2, Jorge L Gross3, Robert E Ratner4, Bo Ahrén5, Francis C C Chow6, Fred Yang7, Diane Miller7, Susan L Johnson8, Murray W Stewart7, Lawrence A Leiter9. 1. Dallas Diabetes and Endocrine Center, Medical City Dallas Hospital, Dallas, TX juliorosenstock@dallasdiabetes.com. 2. Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA. 3. Endocrine Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre and Universidade Federal do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 4. Medstar Health Research Institute, Hyattsville, MD. 5. Department of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. 6. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong. 7. GlaxoSmithKline, Upper Merion, PA. 8. GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC. 9. Keenan Research Center, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, and Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: GLP-1 receptor agonists may provide an alternative to prandial insulin for advancing basal insulin therapy. Harmony 6 was a randomized, open-label, active-controlled trial testing once-weekly albiglutide vs. thrice-daily prandial insulin lispro as an add-on to titrated once-daily insulin glargine. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients taking basal insulin (with or without oral agents) with HbA1c 7-10.5% (53-91 mmol/mol) entered aglargine standardization period, followed by randomization to albiglutide, 30 mg weekly (n = 282), subsequently uptitrated to 50 mg, if necessary, or thrice-daily prandial lispro (n = 281) while continuing metformin and/or pioglitazone. Glargine was titrated to fasting plasma glucose of <5.6 mmol/L, and lispro was adjusted based on glucose monitoring. The primary end point was the difference in the HbA1c change from baseline at week 26. RESULTS: At week 26, HbA1c decreased from baseline by -0.82 ± SE 0.06% (9.0 mmol/mol) with albiglutide and -0.66 ± 0.06% (7.2 mmol/mol) with lispro; treatment difference, -0.16% (95% CI -0.32 to 0.00; 1.8 mmol/mol; P < 0.0001), meeting the noninferiority end point (margin, 0.4%). Weight decreased with albiglutide but increased with lispro (-0.73 ± 0.19 kg vs. +0.81 ± 0.19 kg). The mean glargine dose increased from 47 to 53 IU (albiglutide) and from 44 to 51 IU (lispro). Adverse events for albiglutide versus lispro included severe hypoglycemia (0 vs. 2 events), documented symptomatic hypoglycemia (15.8% vs. 29.9%), nausea (11.2% vs. 1.4%), vomiting (6.7% vs. 1.4%), and injection site reactions (9.5% vs. 5.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Weekly albiglutide is a simpler therapeutic option than thrice-daily lispro for advancing basal insulin glargine therapy, resulting in comparable HbA1c reduction with weight loss and lower hypoglycemia risk.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE:GLP-1 receptor agonists may provide an alternative to prandial insulin for advancing basal insulin therapy. Harmony 6 was a randomized, open-label, active-controlled trial testing once-weekly albiglutide vs. thrice-daily prandial insulinlispro as an add-on to titrated once-daily insulinglargine. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients taking basal insulin (with or without oral agents) with HbA1c 7-10.5% (53-91 mmol/mol) entered a glargine standardization period, followed by randomization to albiglutide, 30 mg weekly (n = 282), subsequently uptitrated to 50 mg, if necessary, or thrice-daily prandial lispro (n = 281) while continuing metformin and/or pioglitazone. Glargine was titrated to fasting plasma glucose of <5.6 mmol/L, and lispro was adjusted based on glucose monitoring. The primary end point was the difference in the HbA1c change from baseline at week 26. RESULTS: At week 26, HbA1c decreased from baseline by -0.82 ± SE 0.06% (9.0 mmol/mol) with albiglutide and -0.66 ± 0.06% (7.2 mmol/mol) with lispro; treatment difference, -0.16% (95% CI -0.32 to 0.00; 1.8 mmol/mol; P < 0.0001), meeting the noninferiority end point (margin, 0.4%). Weight decreased with albiglutide but increased with lispro (-0.73 ± 0.19 kg vs. +0.81 ± 0.19 kg). The mean glargine dose increased from 47 to 53 IU (albiglutide) and from 44 to 51 IU (lispro). Adverse events for albiglutide versus lispro included severe hypoglycemia (0 vs. 2 events), documented symptomatic hypoglycemia (15.8% vs. 29.9%), nausea (11.2% vs. 1.4%), vomiting (6.7% vs. 1.4%), and injection site reactions (9.5% vs. 5.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Weekly albiglutide is a simpler therapeutic option than thrice-daily lispro for advancing basal insulinglargine therapy, resulting in comparable HbA1c reduction with weight loss and lower hypoglycemia risk.