Dulaglutide for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Dulaglutide is a novel glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist with a unique structure that supports once-weekly dosing in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), most of whom have a big pill burden. It appears to be efficacious in reducing hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) up to 1.59% and promotes modest weight loss up to 3 kg with a low incidence of hypoglycemia and mild to moderate gastrointestinal adverse events. Convenient weekly dosing could improve compliance and help attain sustained glycemic goals. Addressing obesity is an integral part of T2DM management and weight loss may contribute to better glycemic and cardiovascular benefits. Results of ongoing clinical trials on cardiovascular safety are important to determine the risk-to-benefit ratio. As with any drug, patient selection and ongoing monitoring will be important. If approved, dulaglutide will be one of the first weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist to be available in a ready-to-use pen device with an automatic injector.