The Bombay Technologist

Inhibition of DPP-IV: A New Therapeutic Approach for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

Khushboo Kapadia

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology

Gauresh Somani

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology

Sadhana Sathaye

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology

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Abstract

Drugs that inhibit dipeptidyl peptidase4 (DPPIV), a ubiquitous enzyme that rapidly inactivates both GLP1 and GIP, increase active levels of these hormones and, in doing so, improve islet function and glycemic control in T2DM. DPPIV inhibitors are a new class of anti-diabetic drugs that provide comparable efficacy to current treatments. Although they differ in terms of their chemistry, they are all small molecules which are orally available. They are effective as monotherapy in patients inadequately controlled with diet and exercise and as addon therapy in combination with metformin, thiazolidinediones, and insulin. The DPPIV inhibitors improve glycaemic control, reducing both fasting and postprandial glucose levels to lower HbA1c levels, without weight gain and with an apparently benign adverse event profile. Thus the DPP-IV inhibitors are a promising new treatment option, especially for patients with early stage T2DM and more severe hyperglycemia.