Gila Monsters

Diabetic drug has Gila monster to thank

Connie Midey
The Arizona Republic

One of the newest weapons in the fight against diabetes owes its ability to lower blood glucose to a reptile that has made its home in the Sonoran desert for millions of years. Byetta, a non-insulin injection for type 2 diabetes, is based on a protein found in the venom-spiked saliva of the Gila monster. Two studies released this month found that exenatide, the drug's active ingredient, improves blood-glucose levels as effectively as insulin injections.

Results of the one-year and 32-week studies, funded by Byetta makers Amylin and Eli Lilly pharmaceutical companies, were presented at the annual meeting of the European Association of the Study of Diabetes in Copenhagen, Denmark. The associated weight loss many Byetta users experience is as exciting as their improved glucose control, especially given obesity's link to type 2 diabetes.

"I have patients losing 30, 40, 50, 60 pounds, with hardly any effort," Phoenix physician Gerald Asin said. "For patients who are obese and have diabetes, this is a wonderful drug."

In the one-year study, people using exenatide lost an average of 5.5 pounds, while those treated with a commonly prescribed insulin gained an average of 6.4 pounds. Even nausea, Byetta's main side effect, and fear of needles don't seem to matter. "Patients typically plug away with it, knowing they want the end results," said registered dietitian Angela Pitman, who leads a Scottsdale Healthcare diabetes support group.

Diabetic drug has Gila monster to thank (Summary)
Diabetics hail 'wonder drug' derived from the lizard (Full Story)