Efficacy and Safety of Dulaglutide Versus Sitagliptin After 52 Weeks in Type 2 Diabetes in a Randomized Controlled Trial (AWARD-5)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and safety of two doses of once-weekly dulaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist, to sitagliptin in uncontrolled, metformin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes. The primary objective was to compare (for noninferiority and then superiority) dulaglutide 1.5 mg versus sitagliptin in change from baseline in glycosylated hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c) at 52 weeks. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This multicenter, adaptive, double-blind, parallel-arm study randomized patients (N = 1,098; mean baseline age 54 years; HbA_1c 8.1% [65 mmol/mol]; weight 86.4 kg; diabetes duration 7 years) to dulaglutide 1.5 mg, dulaglutide 0.75 mg, sitagliptin 100 mg, or placebo (placebo-controlled period up to 26 weeks). The treatment period lasted 104 weeks, with 52-week primary end point data presented. RESULTS The mean HbA_1c changes to 52 weeks were (least squares mean ± SE): −1.10 ± 0.06% (−12.0 ± 0.7 mmol/mol), −0.87 ± 0.06% (9.5 ± 0.7 mmol/mol), and −0.39 ± 0.06% (4.3 ± 0.7 mmol/mol) for dulaglutide 1.5 mg, dulaglutide 0.75 mg, and sitagliptin, respectively. Both dulaglutide doses were superior to sitagliptin (P < 0.001, both comparisons). No events of severe hypoglycemia were reported. Mean weight changes to 52 weeks were greater with dulaglutide 1.5 mg (−3.03 ± 0.22 kg) and dulaglutide 0.75 mg (−2.60 ± 0.23 kg) compared with sitagliptin (−1.53 ± 0.22 kg) (P < 0.001, both comparisons). The most common gastrointestinal treatment-emergent adverse events in dulaglutide 1.5- and 0.75-mg arms were nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. CONCLUSIONS Both dulaglutide doses demonstrated superior glycemic control versus sitagliptin at 52 weeks with an acceptable tolerability and safety profile.