List of Medications for Diabetes
- Insulins
- Insulin sensitizers (reduce insulin resistance)
- Secretagogues (stimulate insulin release)
- Agents that slow the digestive/absorptive process:
- Glucagon Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Agonists
- Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP-4) Inhibitors
- Amylin Analogues
- Sodium-Glucose Transporter-2 (SGLT-2) Inhibitors
- Combination Products
Based on "Harrison's Endocrinology"
written by J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD
This comprehensive listing includes antihyperglycemic agents that can be used for glycemic control in diabetes.
New Antihyperglycemics
| Class | Generic/Brand/Approval year |
|---|---|
| SGLT-2 inhibitor | Canagliflozin (Invokana), 2013 |
| DPP-4 inhibitor | Alogliptin (Nesina, Vipidia), 2013 |
| SGLT-2 inhibitor | Dapagliflozin (Farxiga), 2014 |
| SGLT-2 inhibitor | Empagliflozin (Jardiance), 2014 |
| GLP-1 receptor agonist | Albiglutide (Tanzeum), 2014 |
| GLP-1 receptor agonist | Dulaglutide (Trulicity), 2014 |
| Inhaled insulin powder | Afrezza, 2014 |
Insulin Preparations
Insulin preparations differ in how quickly they work, when they peak maximal activity, and how long they work. Insulins are available for intravenous, intramuscular, and subcutaneous administration.
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Rapid Acting Insulins | |
| Insulin aspart | Novolog |
| Insulin glulisine | Apidra |
| Insulin lispro | Humalog |
| Insulin human | Afrezza Inhalation Powder |
| Short Acting Insulins | |
| Regular insulin | Humulin R, Novolin R |
| Intermediate Acting Insulins | |
| Insulin NPH | Hagedorn NPH , Humulin N, Novolin N |
| Long Acting Insulins | |
| Insulin detemir | Levemir |
| Insulin glargine | Lantus |
| Premixed Insulins | |
| Insulin aspart protamine/ insulin aspart |
NovoLog 50/50, NovoLog 70/30 |
| Insulin lispro protamine/ insulin lispro |
Humalog 50/50, Humalog 75/25 |
| Combination with Insulins | |
| Insulin glargine /Lixisenatide | Soliqua 100/33 |
| Insulin degludec/Liraglutide | Xultophy 100/3.6 |
Sensitizers
Sensitizers increase the sensitivity of target organs to insulin.
Biguanides
Biguanides improve peripheral glucose uptake and utilization.
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Metformin | Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, Riomet, Fortamet |
Phenformin and Buformin were withdrawn due to lactic acidosis risk.
Thiazolidinediones (Glitazones)
Thiazolidinediones work through the improvement of insulin sensitivity by acting on adipose, muscle, and liver to increase glucose utilization and decrease glucose production.
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Rosiglitazone | Avandia |
| Pioglitazone | Actos |
Secretagogues
Secretagogues increase insulin secretion by the pancreas.
Sulfonylureas
Sulfonylureas stimulate insulin secretion by inhibiting the K(ATP) channel complex of the pancreatic beta cells. Sulfonylureas are used to treat type II diabetes. These agents are not indicated for type I diabetes.
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| First-generation | |
| Acetohexamide | Dymelor |
| Chlorpropamide | Diabinese |
| Tolazamide | Tolinase |
| Tolbutamide | Orinase |
| Second-generation | |
| Glipizide | Glucotrol, Minidiab, Glibenese |
| Glyburide (glibenclamide) | Diabeta, Micronase, Glynase, Daonil, Euglycon |
| Glimepiride | Amaryl |
| Gliclazide | Uni Diamicron |
| Glyclopyramide | Deamelin-S |
| Gliquidone | Glurenorm |
Meglitinides
Meglitinide derivatives stimulate insulin secretion from pancreatic cells, lowering blood glucose levels.
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Nateglinide | Starlix |
| Repaglinide | Prandin, NovoNorm |
Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are not technically glucose lowering agents because they do not have a direct effect on insulin secretion or sensitivity. These medications slow the digestive and absorptive process, preventing postprandial glucose raise.
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Acarbose | Precose, Glucobay |
| Miglitol | Glyset |
| Voglibose | Basen |
Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) Agonists
GLP-1 analogs normalize fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels without causing hypoglycemia 3. Also, GLP-1 analogs reduce food intake and promote modest weight loss.
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Short-acting GLP-1 analogs | |
| Exenatide | Byetta |
| Lixisenatide | Lyxumia, Adlyxin |
| Long-acting GLP-1 analogs | |
| Liraglutide | Victoza |
| Prolonged-acting GLP-1 analogs | |
| Albiglutide | Tanzeum |
| Dulaglutide | Trulicity |
| Exenatide once weekly | Bydureon |
| Under development | |
| Taspoglutide | Phase III clinical trials 4 |
Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors (Gliptins)
Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors inhibit DPP-4, the enzyme that inactivates incretin hormones GLP-1 and GIP.
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Alogliptin | Nesina, Vipidia |
| Anagliptin | Suiny |
| Linagliptin | Trajenta |
| Saxagliptin | Onglyza |
| Sitagliptin | Januvia |
| Teneligliptin | Tenelia |
| DPP-4 inhibitors under development | |
| Dutogliptin 5 | |
| Gemigliptin 6 | |
Amylin Analogues
Pramlintide is a synthetic form of amylin, a pancreatic peptide produced by β-cells. Amylin and pramlintide lower postprandial glucose by lowering postprandial glucagon and delaying gastric emptying. Pramlintide is indicated for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics who use insulin.
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Pramlintide | Symlin |
Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors
SGLT-2 inhibitors are a new class of drugs for Type 2 diabetes with novel mechanism of action. SGLT-2 inhibitors block reabsorption of glucose in the kidneys, leading to excretion of glucose in urine. These glucose lowering medications work independently of insulin.
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Canagliflozin | Invokana |
| Dapagliflozin | Forxiga, Farxiga |
| Empagliflozin | Jardiance |
| Ertugliflozin | Steglatro |
| SGLT-2 inhibitors under development | |
| Ipragliflozin | |
| Remogliflozin etabonate | |
| Tofogliflozin | |
Other Anti-diabetic Drugs
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Dopamine agonist | |
| Bromocriptine | Parlodel, Cycloset |
| Bile acid sequestrant | |
| Colesevelam | Welchol, Cholestagel, Lodalis |
Combinations
| Generic | Brand Name |
|---|---|
| Alogliptin + Metformin | Kazano |
| Dapagliflozin + Metformin | Xigduo XR |
| Glipizide + Metformin | Metaglip |
| Glyburide + Metformin | Glucovance |
| Linagliptin + Metformin | Jentadueto |
| Pioglitazone + Metformin | Actoplus Met, Actoplus Met XR |
| Repaglinide + Metformin | Prandimet |
| Rosiglitazone + Metformin | Avandamet |
| Saxagliptin + Metformin | Kombiglyze XR |
| Sitagliptin + Metformin | Janumet |
| Rosiglitazone + Glimepiride | Avandaryl |
| Pioglitazone + Glimepiride | Duetact |
| Alogliptin + Pioglitazone | Oseni |
| Simvastatin + Sitagliptin | Juvisync |
| Empagliflozin + Metformin | Synjardy |
| Dapagliflozin + Saxagliptin | Qtern |
Resources
- 1. New FDA Approved Drugs CenterWatch
- 2. David A. Williams. Foye's Medicinal Chemistry. 7th Ed; LWW, 2012
- 3. Cho YM, Wideman RD, Kieffer TJ. Clinical application of glucagon-like Peptide 1 receptor agonists for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2013 Dec;28(4):262-74. Full text
- 4. Rosenstock J, Balas B, Charbonnel B, Bolli GB, Boldrin M, Ratner R, Balena R; T-emerge 2 Study Group. The fate of taspoglutide, a weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist, versus twice-daily exenatide for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2013 Mar. PubMed
- 5. Pattzi HM, Pitale S, Alpizar M, Bennett C, O'Farrell AM, Li J, Cherrington JM, Guler HP; PHX1149-PROT202 Study Group. Dutogliptin, a selective DPP4 inhibitor, improves glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: a 12-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2010 Apr;12(4):348-55. PubMed
- 6. Kim SH, Lee SH, Yim HJ. Gemigliptin, a novel dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor: first new anti-diabetic drug in the history of Korean pharmaceutical industry. Arch Pharm Res. 2013 Oct;36(10):1185-8. PubMed
Created: December 27, 2014
Last updated: August 14, 2018
