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Byetta or exenatide is a drug approved for use as an adjunct therapy (backup or additional treatment) for type II (adult-onset) diabetes. The official prescribing guidlines are very specific and read that Byetta is approved "as adjunctive therapy to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are taking metformin, a biguanide, or a combination of metformin and a sulfonylurea but have not achieved adequate glycemic control." In plain English, this means that Byetta is not approved to treat diabetes by itself alone. Lizard Spit |
Byetta is a very small protein that acts as a hormone and, oddly, was first identified in the saliva of Gila monsters. This has led to Byetta being reffered to as "lizard spit" which is, of course, innacurate as the pharmaceutical product is entirely synthesized chemically and has never come near a lizard. Still, it was discovered in these beasts. |
A Gila Monster |
Weight Loss Side Effect |
Many but not all people who use Byetta to control type 2 diabetes experience weight loss. In some cases the weight loss is substantial. Since weight loss nearly always improves the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, this gives Byetta a 'double whammy' where it directly improves diabetes and also indirectly improves it throught weight reduction. |
Problems with Byetta |
Byetta has several major drawbacks. First, it must be injected, and twice daily. Second, nearly half of patients using it report nausea, at least initially. Third, it is very expensive so that patients without medical insurance can rarely afford it. |
Future Research |
A long-acting (once per week) injection-form of byetta is currently undergoing clinical trials in the US. Initial results are very promising, showing improved control of type 2 diabetes and improved weight loss. Other research is exploring the possibility of using viruses to splice byetta DNA into human cells with the hope that one day such a virus could be used to turn a small number of cells in a diabetic person into 'factories' that produce Byetta normally. |
Exenatide (Byetta) |
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