Trial proves effectiveness of Sanofi's Lantus

Singapore: New results from the landmark ORIGIN (Outcome Reduction with Initial Glargine INtervention) trial by Sanofi showed that treatment with Lantus (insulin glargine) was approximately three-fold more likely to achieve and maintain target glycemic levels when compared to standard
care in individuals with pre-diabetes or early type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk.

Data presented at the 48^th annual meeting of European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) showed that insulin glargine use was an independent predictor of maintaining mean yearly HbA1c less than 6.5 percent target over five years, vs. standard care. Similarly, a lower HbA1c baseline level was also found to predict reaching the same target.

ORIGIN was a six-year randomized clinical trial designed to assess the effects of treatment with insulin glargine against standard care on cardiovascular outcomes and involved over 12,500 participants worldwide with pre-diabetes (impaired fasting glycemia or impaired glucose tolerance) or early type 2 diabetes (treated at most with one oral anti-diabetic) and high CV risk. Key results reported earlier this year at the American Diabetes Association Congress (June 2012) showed insulin glargine had a neutral effect on CV outcomes and significantly reduced progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes (secondary outcome) by 28 percent.

"This analysis shows that insulin glargine generally brought glycemic control to HbA1c < 6.5 percent, a commonly sought target, and sustained it over five years. Further study of the ORIGIN data is likely to provide further insights regarding the medical benefits or risks of this approach to treatment," said Professor Matthew Riddle of Oregon Health and Science University, USA, who is the lead author of this ORIGIN sub-analysis.

These new findings showed that insulin glargine was more effective than standard care at maintaining glycemic control in all subgroups assessed, including age, alcohol consumption, depression, baseline HbA1c, urine albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR), diabetes and particularly in individuals with abdominal obesity and greater grip strength.

Dr Riccardo Perfetti, vice president-Medical Affairs, Global Diabetes, Sanofi, said: "Contrary to conventional understanding that diabetes is a progressively worsening disease, these new results from this sub-study of ORIGIN suggest that achieving and maintaining glycemic control early with insulin glargine might positively affect the natural history of the disease."