Long-term safety and efficacy of linagliptin as monotherapy or in combination with other oral glucose-lowering agents in 2121 subjects with type 2 diabetes: up to 2 years exposure in 24-week phase III trials followed by a 78-week open-label extension

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term safety, tolerability and efficacy of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor linagliptin given either alone or in combination with other oral glucose-lowering agents in persons with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A 78-week open-label extension study evaluated subjects who participated in one of four preceding 24-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parent trials and who received linagliptin, linagliptin + metformin, linagliptin + metformin + a sulphonylurea or linagliptin + pioglitazone (all with linagliptin administered orally once daily). Individuals receiving one of these treatments during a previous trial continued the same treatment (n = 1532) for up to a total of 102 weeks, whereas those previously receiving placebo were switched to linagliptin (n = 589). All 2121 participants received at least one dose of the trial medication and were included in the primary safety analysis. Results: In subjects previously receiving active treatment, the glycosylated haemoglobin A1c reduction achieved during the 24-week parent trials was sustained through the 78-week extension period (change from baseline to week 102: -0.8%). Drug-related adverse events were experienced by 14.3% of participants. Hypoglycaemia occurred in 13.9% of participants and was similar between those previously receiving treatment (13.6%) and those switching from placebo to linagliptin (14.6%). Hypoglycaemia occurred most frequently with the use of metformin + a sulphonylurea background therapy (11%). Overall, no clinically relevant changes in body weight were observed. Conclusion: Long-term treatment with linagliptin was well tolerated with no change in the safety profile observed during the extension study. Sustained long-term glycaemic control was maintained for up to 102 weeks with either linagliptin monotherapy or linagliptin in combination with other oral glucose-lowering agents.