Abstract

Canagliflozin for the treatment of adults with Type 2 diabetes

Author(s): Pablo J Aschner

Canagliflozin is a competitive, reversible and potent inhibitor of SGLT2 that lowers the renal threshold for glucose and consequently increases urinary glucose excretion in people with Type 2 diabetes with a blood glucose level above 70–90 mg/dl. Its oral administration in daily doses of 100 and 300 mg in monotherapy, dual therapy or triple therapy including insulin produces a mean HbA1c reduction of 0.7 and 0.85%, respectively, when compared with placebo, a similar reduction to sitagliptin and glimepiride. There is also a modest reduction in weight with both doses. The main adverse effects are genital fungal infections, particularly in women, and, less frequently, urinary tract infections.