Recently approved T2 treatment Bydureon is becoming available in pharmacies in the USA nationwide this month. The approval was in part based on clinical experience with Byetta (exenatide) injection, a twice-daily form of exenatide that has been available in the U.S. since June 2005 and is used in nearly 80 countries worldwide. Bydureon uses Alkermes’ proprietary technology for long-acting medications to provide a controlled release of exenatide.
“With Bydureon, U.S. physicians and patients can now choose a therapy that offers continuous blood sugar control in just one dose per week,” said John Buse, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine, director of the Diabetes Care Center and chief of the Division of Endocrinology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill. “New treatment options are essential for the millions of adults with type 2 diabetes who continue to struggle to achieve optimal blood sugar control.”
Daniel M. Bradbury, president and chief executive officer, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, says. “Bydureon builds upon the proven benefits of Byetta, offering significant improvements in glycemic control in a single weekly dose.”
Bydureon is provided in a straightforward single-dose tray so that patients can self-administer the once-weekly subcutaneous injection. In the clinical studies, the delivery system was well accepted by patients and physicians.
