Lilly gets US FDA nod for additional doses of Trulicity (dulaglutide) to treat type 2 diabetes

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two additional doses of Eli Lilly and Company’s Trulicity (dulaglutide). The approval expands the label of once-weekly Trulicity to include 3.0 mg and 4.5 mg doses based on data from AWARD-11. The phase 3 trial showed the additional doses led to further benefits in A1C and bodyweight reduction when compared to Trulicity 1.5 mg in people with type 2 diabetes.

“The FDA’s decision to approve the additional doses of Trulicity is a positive step forward for people living with type 2 diabetes and their care teams. This progressive condition can require different treatment approaches over time, and findings from AWARD-11 showed the additional doses of Trulicity can lead to further A1C and weight reductions for people with type 2 diabetes whose current treatment may no longer be meeting their needs,” said Juan Pablo Frias, Medical Director and Principal Investigator, National Research Institute.

The AWARD-11 trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of additional doses of Trulicity (3.0 mg and 4.5 mg) compared to Trulicity 1.5 mg, using two different statistical approaches. The efficacy estimand, which analyses participants who remained on treatment throughout the trial, showed both doses led to significant reductions in A1C and weight:

• 5 mg (A1C: -1.9 percent, weight: -10.4 pounds)
• 0 mg (A1C: -1.7 percent; weight: -8.8 pounds)
• 5 mg (A1C: -1.5 percent; weight: -6.8 pounds)

“People find the Trulicity pen simple and easy-to-use. Now, with the 3.0 and 4.5 doses available, people with type 2 diabetes who use Trulicity can benefit from additional A1C and weight loss as their condition progresses,” said Leonard Glass, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Lilly.

The additional doses of Trulicity will be available in US pharmacies in late September.

Results from AWARD-11 are also under review by the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, with an opinion on whether to recommend approval by the European Commission expected this year.