Insulin

Type 2 diabetes is not one-size-fits-all: Subtypes affect complications and treatment options

Retrieved on: 
Friday, April 19, 2024
MOD, Hyperinsulinemia, MARD, First Nations, Human, Obesity, Cell, Indigenous peoples, Unique, Disease, Blood transfusion, Insulin, Diabetes, Risk, Patient, Fatty liver disease, Weight loss, Stroke, Research, Fetus, Metabolic disorder, Hope, Pregnancy, Eye disease, Life, Kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes, Pancreas, Paratriathlon, SIDD, Blood, Type, Type 2, Dietary supplement

You may have heard of Ozempic, the “miracle drug” for weight loss, but did you know that it was actually designed as a new treatment to manage diabetes?

Key Points: 
  • You may have heard of Ozempic, the “miracle drug” for weight loss, but did you know that it was actually designed as a new treatment to manage diabetes?
  • In Canada, diabetes affects approximately 10 per cent of the general population.

Locks and keys

  • Every cell in the body needs sugar as an energy source, but too much sugar can be toxic to cells.
  • This equilibrium needs to be tightly controlled and is regulated by a lock and key system.
  • Cells cover themselves with locks that respond perfectly to insulin keys to facilitate the entry of sugar into cells.
  • The body can encounter difficulties producing an adequate number of insulin keys, and/or the locks can become stubborn and unresponsive to insulin.

Severe insulin-deficient diabetes: We’re missing keys!

  • In the severe insulin-deficient diabetes (SIDD) subtype, the key factories — the beta cells — are on strike.
  • Why the beta cells go on strike remains largely unknown, but since there is an insulin deficiency, treatment often involves insulin injections.

Severe insulin-resistant diabetes: But it’s always locked!

  • In the severe insulin-resistant diabetes (SIRD) subtype, the locks are overstimulated and start ignoring the keys.
  • There are many treatment avenues for these patients but no consensus about the optimal approach; patients often require high doses of insulin.

Mild obesity-related diabetes: The locks are sticky!

  • Mild obesity-related (MOD) diabetes represents a nuanced aspect of Type 2 diabetes, often observed in individuals with higher body weight.
  • The locks are “sticky,” so it is challenging for the key to click in place and open the lock.

Mild age-related diabetes: I’m tired of controlling blood sugar!


Mild age-related diabetes (MARD) happens more often in older people and typically starts later in life. With time, the key factory is not as productive, and the locks become stubborn. People with MARD find it tricky to manage their blood sugar, but it usually doesn’t lead to severe complications. Among the different subtypes of diabetes, MARD is the most common.

Unique locks, varied keys

  • In Canada, unique cases of Type 2 diabetes were identified in Indigenous children from Northern Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario by Dr. Heather Dean and colleagues in the 1980s and 90s.
  • Read more:
    Indigenous community research partnerships can help address health inequities

    Childhood-onset Type 2 diabetes is on the rise across Canada, but disproportionately affects Indigenous youth.

  • Acknowledging this distinct subtype of Type 2 diabetes in First Nations communities has led to the implementation of a community-based health action plan aimed at addressing the unique challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples.

A mosaic of conditions

  • Type 2 diabetes is not uniform; it’s a mosaic of conditions, each with its own characteristics.
  • Since diabetes presents so uniquely in every patient, even categorizing into subtypes does not guarantee how the disease will evolve.


Lili Grieco-St-Pierre receives funding from Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé (FRQS). Jennifer Bruin receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), JDRF, Diabetes Canada.

Drinking apple cider vinegar may help with weight loss but its health benefits are overstated

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Well, Research, Disease, Overweight, Health, Glucose, Diarrhea, Myocardial infarction, Apple, Cell, Serum, Infection, Appetite, Vegetable, Incidence, Acetic acid, Risk, Physiology, Lipid, Insulin, Diabetes, Weight loss, Internet, Stroke, Blood, Mortality, Cancer, Systematic review, Breakfast, Diet, Cholesterol, Vomiting, Drinking water, Dietary supplement

One day, she explained that she adds apple cider vinegar to improve my health.

Key Points: 
  • One day, she explained that she adds apple cider vinegar to improve my health.
  • Apple cider vinegar is a natural product made of fermented apple juice that has gone sour.
  • I decided to turn medical sleuth and investigate whether apple cider vinegar is as good for health as it sounds.

Claim: disinfectant properties

  • But does apple cider vinegar’s decontaminant qualities translate to the human gut?
  • Our stomachs produce acid, which acts as a natural barrier to infection, so how can adding more acid help?

Claim: weight loss and management of type 2 diabetes

  • There are plenty of anecdotal claims that apple cider vinegar can aid weight loss, supported by limited evidence from several small studies.
  • Apple cider vinegar is thought to cause weight loss through its effect on delay of gastric emptying.
  • Reduced calorific intake will lead to weight loss – but how are the metabolic effects on blood glucose and lipids mediated?
  • In type 2 diabetes there is a reduction in sensitivity to insulin which in turn leads to a reduced uptake of glucose by cells.

Claim: reduces risk of heart disease

  • Raised blood lipids are a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke.
  • Well, I’m afraid there’s no scientific evidence that vinegar consumption of any kind reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in those with or without diabetes.

Claim: cancer treatment and prevention

  • One of the more outrageous claims of benefits of daily apple cider vinegar consumption is that it may prevent or treat cancer.
  • A frequently quoted case-control study from China found that an increased consumption of vinegar was associated with a reduced incidence of oesophageal cancer.


Stephen Hughes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

No, taking drugs like Ozempic isn’t ‘cheating’ at weight loss or the ‘easy way out’

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Eating, Reward, Diarrhea, Cardiovascular disease, Obesity, Exercise, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Cell, Hunger, Energy, Half-life, Indigestion, Abdominal pain, Gardening, Insulin, Risk, Diabetes, Weight loss, Stroke, Constipation, Research, Food, Meal, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Diet, Nausea, Gallbladder disease, Dance, Kidney failure, Hypoglycemia, TGA, BMI, Vomiting, Acute pancreatitis, STEP, Pharmaceutical industry

Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight.

Key Points: 
  • Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight.
  • As demand for semaglutide increases, so are claims that taking it is “cheating” at weight loss or the “easy way out”.
  • We don’t tell people who need statin medication to treat high cholesterol or drugs to manage high blood pressure they’re cheating or taking the easy way out.

How does it work?

  • GLP-1 gets secreted by cells in your gut when it detects increased nutrient levels after eating.
  • GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) medications like Ozempic help the body’s own GLP-1 work better by mimicking and extending its action.
  • Read more:
    The rise of Ozempic: how surprise discoveries and lizard venom led to a new class of weight-loss drugs

What can users expect? What does the research say?

  • Higher doses of semaglutide are prescribed to treat obesity compared to type 2 diabetes management (up to 2.4mg versus 2.0mg weekly).
  • A large group of randomised controlled trials, called STEP trials, all tested weekly 2.4mg semaglutide injections versus different interventions or placebo drugs.
  • Trials lasting 1.3–2 years consistently found weekly 2.4 mg semaglutide injections led to 6–12% greater weight loss compared to placebo or alternative interventions.
  • Weight reduction due to semaglutide also leads to a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure of about 4.8 mmHg and 2.5 mmHg respectively, a reduction in triglyceride levels (a type of blood fat) and improved physical function.
  • Another recent trial in adults with pre-existing heart disease and obesity, but without type 2 diabetes, found adults receiving weekly 2.4mg semaglutide injections had a 20% lower risk of specific cardiovascular events, including having a non-fatal heart attack, a stroke or dying from cardiovascular disease, after three years follow-up.

Who is eligible for semaglutide?

  • Australia’s regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has approved semaglutide, sold as Ozempic, for treating type 2 diabetes.
  • The TGA has approved Wegovy to treat obesity but it’s not currently available in Australia.

What else do you need to do during Ozempic treatment?

  • In addition to taking medication, people had brief lifestyle counselling sessions with dietitians or other health professionals every four weeks as a minimum in most trials.
  • The aim of these trials was to show the effect of adding the medication on top of other lifestyle counselling.


A review of obesity medication trials found people reported they needed less cognitive behaviour training to help them stick with the reduced energy intake. This is one aspect where drug treatment may make adherence a little easier. Not feeling as hungry and having environmental food cues “switched off” may mean less support is required for goal-setting, self-monitoring food intake and avoiding things that trigger eating.

But what are the side effects?

  • In on study these led to discontinuation of medication in 6% of people, but interestingly also in 3% of people taking placebos.
  • More severe side-effects included gallbladder disease, acute pancreatitis, hypoglycaemia, acute kidney disease and injection site reactions.
  • Here are some potential risks and benefits

    To reduce risk or severity of side-effects, medication doses are increased very slowly over months.

  • Health, Meat and Livestock Australia, and Greater Charitable Foundation.
  • She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute, Dietitians Australia and the ABC.

PolTREG identifies promising efficacy biomarker for Type-1 diabetes in patients treated with its Treg therapy in combination with rituximab

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 4, 2024
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This three-arm trial had earlier shown that 50% of PTG-007-treated patients in combination with rituximab were still in remission after 24 months.

Key Points: 
  • This three-arm trial had earlier shown that 50% of PTG-007-treated patients in combination with rituximab were still in remission after 24 months.
  • PolTREG CEO Piotr Trzonkowski, who co-authored the peer-reviewed study, said: “This peer-reviewed scientific publication adds to our growing excitement about the potential of polyclonal Treg therapies.
  • We have treated over 100 patients with our cell therapy at our facility over the last 17 years.
  • Having a biomarker of efficacy, like PD-1+ T-cells, could facilitate doctors’ ability to monitor their patients’ responses to therapy.

Bio-Path Holdings Provides 2024 Clinical and Operational Update

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Toxicity, Obesity, Drug discovery, Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Survival, CLL, AML, Fast track (FDA), Insulin, Patient, New York Medical College, Biomarker, Cancer, Leukemia, IND, University, Lymphoma, Pancreatic cancer, Clinical trial, Paclitaxel, Potential, Breast cancer, Safety, RNA interference, GRB2, Holding, Leptin, Probability, FDA, STAT3, Stage 4, Food, Pharmaceutical industry

HOUSTON, April 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bio-Path Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ:BPTH), a biotechnology company leveraging its proprietary DNAbilize® liposomal delivery and antisense technology to develop a portfolio of targeted nucleic acid cancer drugs, today provides a clinical development and operational update for 2024.

Key Points: 
  • HOUSTON, April 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bio-Path Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ:BPTH), a biotechnology company leveraging its proprietary DNAbilize® liposomal delivery and antisense technology to develop a portfolio of targeted nucleic acid cancer drugs, today provides a clinical development and operational update for 2024.
  • Prexigebersen Phase 2 Clinical Trial – Bio-Path’s Phase 2 clinical trial is treating Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients.
  • Phase 1/1b Clinical Trial in BP1002 in Relapsed/Refractory AML – A Phase 1/1b clinical trial for BP1002 to treat relapsed/refractory AML patients, including venetoclax-resistant patients, is ongoing.
  • In January 2024, Bio-Path announced successful completion of the first dose cohort in the Phase 1 clinical trial.

Biomea Fusion Highlights Initial Data from the First Two Type 1 Diabetes Patients Dosed with BMF-219

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 1, 2024
Diagnosis, Health, Regeneration, Learning, Glycated hemoglobin, Menin, C-peptide, Insulin, Diabetes, AUC, Patient, Fasting, MD, Metformin, Person, Cancer, Safety, A1C, DSM-IV codes, Pharmaceutical industry

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biomea Fusion, Inc. (“Biomea”) (Nasdaq: BMEA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing oral covalent small molecules to treat and improve the lives of patients with metabolic diseases and genetically defined cancers, today announced initial response data from the first two type 1 diabetes patients treated with BMF-219 in the ongoing Phase II study (COVALENT-112).

Key Points: 
  • “We are very excited to announce the initial response data from the first two type 1 diabetes patients enrolled in the COVALENT-112 study.
  • Both patients showed improvement in measures of beta-cell function after only 4 weeks of dosing with BMF-219.
  • The trial includes an open label portion for adults with type 1 diabetes up to 15 years since diagnosis.
  • It has been exciting to participate in this study and explore this new pathway for the benefit of our patients.

Biomea Fusion Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results and Corporate Highlights

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 1, 2024
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In 2023, initiated a Phase 2 study of BMF-219 in type 1 diabetes patients (COVALENT-112); initial readout anticipated in 2024.

Key Points: 
  • In 2023, initiated a Phase 2 study of BMF-219 in type 1 diabetes patients (COVALENT-112); initial readout anticipated in 2024.
  • Cash position of $177.2 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2023.
  • REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biomea Fusion, Inc. (“Biomea” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq: BMEA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing oral covalent small molecules to treat and improve the lives of patients with metabolic diseases and genetically defined cancers, reported fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results and corporate highlights.
  • “2023 was a pivotal year for Biomea as we reported first positive data in type 2 diabetes and initiated our first clinical study in type 1 diabetes.

Fractyl Health Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 1, 2024
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BURLINGTON, Mass., April 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fractyl Health (Nasdaq: GUTS), a metabolic therapeutics company focused on pioneering new approaches for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity, today reported its fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results and provided a business update.

Key Points: 
  • “In addition, we expect to complete enrollment of our pivotal Revitalize-1 study and are excited to report topline data in the fourth quarter of 2024.
  • The Company expects to complete enrollment in the first half of 2024 and report topline data in the fourth quarter of 2024.
  • In December 2023, Fractyl presented preclinical findings in an oral presentation at the World Congress of Insulin Resistance Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease 2023 Annual Meeting.
  • Cash Position: As of December 31, 2023, Fractyl had approximately $33.2 million in cash and cash equivalents.

L-Nutra Reveals World's First Patent-Pending Protein Formula for Healthy Aging to Pioneer Nutrition-Focused Health Solutions

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Dicarboxylic acid, Health, Meat, Metabolism, Vitamin, Longevity, FMD, Facial muscles, Poultry, Environment, Rejuvenation, Lactose, Insulin, Research, GMO, Doctor of Philosophy, MD, Mineral, Life, Fruit, Ageing, Dietary supplement

LOS ANGELES, April 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a remarkable leap forward for nutrition and healthy aging, L-Nutra , the leading nutrition technology company, proudly introduces the world's first patent-pending protein designed to support healthy aging – L-Protein .

Key Points: 
  • LOS ANGELES, April 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a remarkable leap forward for nutrition and healthy aging, L-Nutra , the leading nutrition technology company, proudly introduces the world's first patent-pending protein designed to support healthy aging – L-Protein .
  • This first-of-its-kind protein formula was developed by L-Nutra to support muscle function and healthspan.
  • Similarly, inadequate protein intake, as demonstrated in some strict vegan diets, does not produce enough of the necessary growth factors for optimal muscle support and healthy aging.
  • L-Protein is another nutritional milestone to complement the healthy aging benefits of the Prolon Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) , L-Nutra's flagship program.

PhaseV to Present at Upcoming Clinical Trial Events and Scientific Meetings, Highlighting the Value of Machine Learning in Drug Development

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 8, 2024
ChromeOS, Post hoc analysis, Endocrinology, Insulin, Pharmaceutical industry

BOSTON, April 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PhaseV, a pioneer in causal machine learning (ML) for clinical trial analysis and optimization, announced today that company executives will present at five upcoming leading industry events in May and June.

Key Points: 
  • - Recruitment Optimization in Clinical Trials: Looking Towards an Adaptive Future
    Presentation: Abstract by Oramed Pharmaceuticals and PhaseV on Machine Learning-Based Optimization of Patient Eligibility for Oral Insulin Treatment: A Post Hoc Analysis of Phase III Trial Results
    PhaseV's platform leverages proprietary causal inference and machine learning tools to enable retrospective analysis of Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials to 'rescue' failed assets and/or optimize an analysis in order to better prepare for the next trial.
  • The platform also enables prospective design and execution of dynamic adaptive clinical trials by allowing users to quickly evaluate millions of options—taking specific considerations and constraints into account—and select the optimal choice.
  • This ML-driven adaptive process can significantly accelerate the clinical drug development process and increase certainty along the way, resulting in more efficient, targeted, and ultimately more successful clinical trials.
  • PhaseV's solutions are used by global pharma companies, biotech innovators, and CROs across a wide range of therapeutic indications, including oncology, endocrinology, autoimmune diseases, rare diseases, and more.