Elobixibat affords metabolic benefits in type 2 diabetes

In type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with constipation, treatment with elobixibat alleviates constipation while improving glucose metabolism and lowering serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and arachidonic acid (AA) levels, according to the results of a single-arm pilot study.

The study included 21 patients who received elobixibat 10 mg daily for 12 weeks. Researchers assessed the change in haemoglobin (Hb) A1c at week 12 as the primary study endpoint. They also evaluated physical parameters, constipation symptoms, and blood parameters (ie, LDL-C, AA, and fatty acid fractions) as secondary endpoints.

Thereafter, the patients were given the option to either stop or continue therapy for an additional 12 weeks (period 2), during which HbA1c and lipid levels were re-evaluated. The researchers collected safety information, including adverse events, discontinuation, and interruption of the drug, at each visit throughout the trial.

Twelve weeks of elobixibat treatment produced significant reductions in the levels of HbA1c (–0.2 percent; p=0.016), LDL-C (–21.4 mg/dL; p<0.001), and AA (–16.1 µg/dL; p=0.010). At week 24, HbA1c levels were significantly more favourable in the group of patients who continued treatment than in the group of those who discontinued after 12 weeks (–0.23 percent vs 0.21 percent; p=0.038).

There were no serious or severe adverse events documented.

Elobixibat is an ileal bile acid transporter inhibitor that has been recently approved in Japan for use in the treatment of patients with chronic constipation. The findings of the present study show that the drug also confers benefits for lowering blood glucose and other lipid parameters.