Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University have discovered that combining two diabetes drugs—dapagliflozin and exenatide—can keep blood sugar levels under control for people with type 2 diabetes, even after two years of continued use.
This finding gives hope to many patients who struggle to manage their blood glucose levels in the long term.
The study, led by Dr. Serge Jabbour and published in the journal *Diabetes Care*, focused on patients with type 2 diabetes. This condition occurs when the body either doesn’t make enough insulin or becomes resistant to it. As a result, blood sugar levels rise and can lead to serious health problems over time.
Many people with type 2 diabetes start their treatment with a drug called metformin. While metformin works well at first, it often becomes less effective over time, which means patients may need more medications to keep their blood sugar under control.
A few years ago, scientists discovered that using two types of diabetes drugs together could slow the disease’s progression better than using one drug alone. This new study builds on that idea by showing that the benefits of combining dapagliflozin and exenatide don’t fade with time—they last for at least two years.
In the study, 695 adults whose blood sugar was not well controlled with metformin alone were split into three groups. One group added weekly injections of exenatide to their metformin. Another group took daily dapagliflozin pills with their metformin. The third group took both exenatide and dapagliflozin alongside metformin.
This research was an extension of the earlier DURATION-8 trial, giving participants a chance to continue the treatment longer. The results were encouraging. Those who received both drugs had better blood sugar control than those who received just one drug, and this benefit stayed steady over the full two years.
What makes this combination so effective is that each drug works in a different way. Dapagliflozin helps the kidneys remove extra sugar from the body through urine.
Exenatide helps the body make more insulin when blood sugar is high, reduces the amount of sugar made by the liver, slows down digestion, and helps people feel full longer. Together, they form a strong team that helps manage diabetes from multiple angles.
The study also found that people taking both drugs lost weight and had lower blood pressure—two big wins for people with diabetes. These extra benefits are important because many people with type 2 diabetes also struggle with weight and heart health.
Importantly, there were no new safety concerns during the study. This means that the combination appears to be safe for long-term use. Some other research has even suggested that this drug combo might help improve cholesterol levels, another common issue for people with diabetes.
This study matters because many diabetes treatments lose their strength over time. Finding a therapy that remains effective for years could make a big difference in how people manage their condition.
In summary, combining dapagliflozin and exenatide offers a powerful option for people whose diabetes isn’t managed well with metformin alone. The study shows that this combo can keep working over time, helping patients gain better control of their blood sugar and improving their overall health. It’s an important step forward in long-term diabetes care.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about Scientists find a promising treatment for type 2 diabetes and findings of Certain type 2 diabetes treatment may bring heart risks.
For more information about diabetes, please read studies about New type 2 diabetes treatment could help patients stop taking insulin and findings of Scientists find true cause of inflammation in type 2 diabetes.
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