Editorial: GLP-1 based agents and acute pancreatitis

Source: BMJ Area: News The author of this BMJ editorial discusses a recent study published in JAMA which found that the glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1-based therapies sitagliptin and exenatide were associated with increased odds of hospitalisation for acute pancreatitis. According to the author, the FDA database carried a signal for acute pancreatitis with exenatide in 2006, a year before the agency alerted clinicians. He states, "Furthermore, all GLP-1 based agents that have been on the market for more than two years have also generated a signal for acute pancreatitis, suggesting a class effect." The regulatory procedures and the role of industry are discussed and it is noted that the drug companies have strongly contested the link between GLP1 based agents and pancreatitis. The author suggests that all forms of pancreatitis predispose to pancreatic cancer and asks why the drug companies have been "so slow to respond to this threat". He writes, "Companies are legally responsible for monitoring the safety ...
Source: NeLM - News - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news