xigduo™ XR, A New Treatment Option For Type 2 Diabetes Now in Malaysia

As you know, we Malaysians love our food. Plus we have access to delicious food 24/7 and most of our local delicacies and favorite food contain high carbs and sugar. Therefore, I am not surprised according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2015 that 3.5 million or 17.5% Malaysians aged 18 years and above are affected by Diabetes. Diabetes disease is predicted to soar in the coming years if no proactive measures are taken to reduce it.

xigduo™ XR, a New Treatment Option for Type 2 Diabetes Now in Malaysia

The statistics is scary and sad but it’s affecting us. My mom was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2 a few years ago. Apart from genetics and hereditary factors for Diabetes Type 1; Diabetes Type 2 is caused by unhealthy food intake coupled with sedentary lifestyles.

Professor Dr. Chan Siew Pheng presentation on Moving from Conventional Approach Towards Early Glycemic Control

Ever since mom was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, my family lifestyle has changed. The doctor has prescribed medications, supplements and gave her a diet / meal plans plus exercise 3 times a week. The hardest part is to get my mom to follow her diet plan and take her medication consistently and on time. The main challenge for most Type 2 Diabetes patients is controlling their blood glucose levels because sometimes she forgets to take her medication.

Dr. Mark E Cooper (Deputy Director & Chief Scientific Officer Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute Australia), Professor Dr. Chan Siew Pheng (Senior Consultant Endocrinologist), Ms. Kang Cheng Hui (Business Unit Director Cardiometabolic Disease AstraZeneca Malaysia), Dr. Viraj Rajadhyaksha (Medical Director AstraZeneca Malaysia) & Mr. Allen Patino (Country President AstraZeneca Malaysia)

I am glad to know that there is a new treatment option for Type 2 Diabetes now in Malaysia. AstraZeneca Sdn. Bhd. (AstraZeneca) just launched its combination drug, the once-daily xigduo™ XR (Dapagliflozin +Metformin) tablet. By having a combination therapy such as once-daily xigduo™ XR, patients can have a much simpler and more convenient way to manage this disease from the outset.

Introducing xigduo™ XR New Treatment Option for Type 2 Diabetes:

xigduo™ XR (DAPAGLIFLOZIN & METFORMIN ): (L-R) Xigduo XR 10mg/1000mg (MAL16045040CRZ), 5mg/1000mg (MAL16045043ACRZ) & 10mg/500mg (MAL16045044ACRZ)

xigduo™ XR is a once-daily combination drug containing dapagliflozin and metformin to help reduce glucose levels in the bloodstream and promote early glycaemic control amongst Type 2 Diabetes patients. It can reduce weight and blood pressure, and addresses associated cardiovascular risk factors among diabetes patients. It is among the first Sodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT2) fixed dose combination (FDC) in Malaysia.

Dapagliflozin is a Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor with a 4-year efficacy data; it works to prevent glucose from being reabsorbed into the kidneys and to expel it from the body via urine. Metformin, a commonly used first-line treatment for Type 2 Diabetes, decreases glucose production in the liver, prevents glucose reabsorption in the intestines and improves insulin sensitivity.

Professor Dr. Mark E Cooper presenting on Introduction of xigduo™ XR

The Benefits of xigduo™ XR Treatment:

• Delivers HbA1c reduction of 2% with two additional benefits of weight loss and blood pressure (BP) reduction⁷.

• Early combination therapy with dapagliflozin and Metformin has the potential to improve number of Type 2 Diabetes patients achieving optimal glycaemic control effectively along with weight and blood pressure reduction⁷.

• In line with the Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) supporting the use of Dual agent treatment for both newly diagnosed and follow-up Type 2 Diabetes patients with HbA1C 7.5% - <8.5%8⁸.

Overall we have to cultivate a healthy eating and lifestyle to prevent Diabetes.

xigduo™ XR is now available in Malaysia in 3 different dosages which are 10/1000mg, 5/1000mg and 10/500mg

Please speak to your Health Care Professionals (HCPs) to learn more about this alternative treatment.

Reference:

1 Del Prato, S., Nauck, M., Durán-Garcia, S., Maffei, L., Rohwedder, K., Theuerkauf, A., & Parikh, S. (2015). Long-term glycaemic response and tolerability of dapagliflozin versus a sulphonylurea as add-on therapy to metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes: 4-year data. Diabetes Obes Metab, 17(6), 581-590. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/dom.12459

2 Anderson, S. (2014). Dapagliflozin efficacy and safety: a perspective review. Therapeutic Advances In Drug Safety, 5(6), 242-254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2042098614551938

3 Mosley, J. F., Smith, L., Everton, E., & Fellner, C. (2015). Sodium-Glucose Linked Transporter 2 (SGLT2) Inhibitors in the Management Of Type-2 Diabetes: A Drug Class Overview. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 40(7), 451–462.

4 Kuecker, C. M., & Vivian, E. M. (2016). Patient considerations in type 2 diabetes – role of combination dapagliflozin–metformin XR. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy, 9, 25–35. http://doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S81565

5 Jabbour, S., Ziring, B. (2011). Advantages of extended-release metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Postgrad Med, 123(1), 15-23. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2011.01.2241

6 http://www.webmd.boots.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes-guide/side-effects-metformin

7 Henry, R., Murray, A., Marmolejo, M., Hennicken, D., Ptaszynska, A., & List, J. (2012). Dapagliflozin, metformin XR, or both: initial pharmacotherapy for type 2 diabetes, a randomised controlled trial. International Journal Of Clinical Practice,66(5), 446-456. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-1241.2012.02911.x

8 Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines. Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, 5th Edition, pp. 29-30

10 Nyenwe, E., Jerkins, T., Umpierrez, G. & Kitabchi, A. (2011). Management of type 2 diabetes: evolving strategies for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes. Metabolism, 60(1), 1-23