Toronto – Eli Lilly Canada announced approval of Trulicity (dulaglutide), a once-weekly glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist indicated for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes to improve glycemic control. GLP-1 is a naturally occurring intestinal hormone that is released when people eat, causing reduced appetite and the release of insulin.1
Trulicity is delivered in a pre-filled, single-use pen with a pre-attached hidden needle, and can be used in combination with diet and exercise, metformin (with or without a sulfonylurea), and mealtime (prandial) insulin.2
The Health Canada approval of Trulicity is based on data from the AWARD clinical trial program, designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of dulaglutide in adults with type 2 diabetes. This data demonstrates that Trulicity reduces blood sugar (HbA1c, fasting glucose, and postprandial glucose) and may provide a weight benefit when used as indicated.3 The most common adverse events reported with Trulicity include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting and were reported more frequently than with placebo-treated patients.4
In a recent Canadian survey, over half of those surveyed who currently use an injectable diabetes treatment say they would change something about their medication.5 Among those, 70 per cent say they would prefer not to have to administer a daily injection.6
“Patients with diabetes often struggle to manage their disease, and often have concerns when faced with the need to add an injectable medicine to their treatment regimen,” said Dr. Vincent Woo, Endocrinologist at the Winnipeg Clinic in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
“Trulicity is a positive step forward for patients to advance their control – control of their disease, weight and blood pressure. It’s a tool that may even help with compliance, because it only needs to be administered once each week.”
The Trulicity pen was designed based on feedback collected through extensive consumer research to address common patient concerns about administering an injectable medicine. Patients were looking for something that is simple to use, pre-loaded with a hidden needle and requires administration only once each week.
“Managing type 2 diabetes can be challenging. As a physician, something I hear often from patients is their concern about potentially having to advance to a daily injectable medication as part of their treatment regimen,” said Dr. Ronald Goldenberg, Endocrinologist in Thornhill, Ontario. “Trulicity is a new once-weekly injectable treatment option that has been shown to be effective at improving blood sugar and may result in weight loss when used as indicated. It is a pre-filled, single-use pen that is only administered one day per week. This simple to use treatment may be welcome news for patients who are struggling to manage their glucose levels.”
“Our aim is to help patients effectively self-manage their diabetes in order to achieve their goals,” said Diabetes Nurse Educator Lori Berard, from the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “A treatment option where the patient doesn’t see or handle the needle may help address the challenges sometimes associated with the transition from oral to injectable medication, and a simple device may make injectable therapy seem less daunting.”