Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading pharmaceutical company, has unveiled the new DDP-4 inhibitor treatment for those with type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of diabetes often leading to chronic complications like cardiovascular, kidney and liver disease.

It was unveiled at the ‘Direction in Diabetes for patient care’ event, which brought together leading regional and international experts to highlight the importance of adopting safe and effective treatment programmes for patients, said a statement.

With increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia, at least one in every five people is estimated to have diabetes.  It is also estimated that 1.5 million people with diabetes in the kingdom are still undiagnosed,  putting citizens at an increasing risk of developing these complications, according to a report.

The newly introduced DPP-4 inhibitors work by increasing hormones that stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin and stimulate the liver to produce less glucose in glucose dependent manner, it said.

It will provide doctors with a safe and effective treatment approach which can achieve effective blood sugar control while having minimal effect on vital organs like the kidney and heart.

The new therapy will prove to be effective modern tool in helping in overall glycemic management and improving the quality of patient lives in diabetes therapy.

Professor Mourad El Mourad, senior advisor and head of Scientific committee to the General Directorate of Genetic and Chronic Diseases, Assistant Agency for Preventive Medicine - Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia, said: “The alarming rise in the incidence of type 2 diabetes is a matter of great concern for us and we are working towards adopting proactive measures which can fight the challenges associated with disease management.”

Dr Saud Al Sifri, consultant endocrinologist, chairman of Internal Medicine and director of Diabetes Centre, Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital, Taif Saudi Arabia, said: “Rise in type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia is putting people at an increasing risk of developing chronic kidney as well as cardiovascular diseases.

“Scientific studies have shown that for people suffering from diabetes, the disease affects other critical organs like the heart, kidney, retina, nerves etc. leading to the formation of a vicious circle. The new treatment provides us with a solution towards helping more patients, even the ones with chronic complications, to achieve accurate glycemic control. The unique feature of non-renal excretion will mean have no effect on the vital organs of the body.”

Mohamed Bayoumy, country head, Saudi Arabia, Boehringer Ingelheim, said: “The introduction of the new treatment is a part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s on-going global commitment to meet patient needs of effective treatment for type 2 diabetes through the introduction of world class innovative therapy. We believe that the new treatment will help people in the country effectively manage their condition and solve some of the associated challenges.

“The effort also marks our commitment towards equipping the healthcare practitioners in the region with solutions that can best help their patients. In Saudi Arabia, diabetes management will continue to be a major therapy focus area for the company.”   

DPP-4 inhibitors act by inhibiting the degradation of incretion hormones, thereby increasing insulin release in a glucose-dependent manner and decreasing the levels of circulating glucagon.

It will be primarily excreted through the bile and the gut rather than through renal elimination. This allows the use of the medication even in patients with failing liver or kidney function.

Boehringer Ingelheim also introduced the first physician results from IntroDia, a global survey about early conversations in type 2 diabetes, which will include insights from more than 10,000 patients and more than 6,700 treating physicians, across 26 countries including Saudi Arabia.

From the Middle East, 60 physicians from Saudi Arabia and UAE participated in the survey.

The aim of the survey was to understand how physicians and people with type 2 diabetes conduct early conversations and the challenges faced during these conversations.

Insights from the global IntroDia study were introduced at the event revealed that physicians see treatment success to be equally dependent on the way people with type 2 diabetes accept their condition and the efficacy of the medication. - TradeArabia News Service