AstraZeneca, pharmaceutical global industry leader, announced the launch of its new drug Xigduo (dapagliflozin and metformin), after the approval from the Ministry of Health and the Egyptian Medicines Authority for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes.
This launch comes within the framework of AstraZeneca’s strategy to modernize and develop all its medical services and consolidate its resources to achieve the largest cure rates for chronic diseases in Egypt. Xigduo improves blood sugar levels, especially for adults with type 2 diabetes, with a combination of SGLT2 inhibitors and metformin hydrochloride (HCl). Additionally, Xigduo is referred to whenever treatment with dapagliflozin and metformin is applicable, as it is an adjunct to diet and exercise that would improve patients’ glycemic control.
Dr. Hatem Al-Wardany, CEO of AstraZeneca Egypt, said: “We, at AstraZeneca, always aim to provide the latest and most advanced medical treatments and drugs in the world, to the Egyptian patient. It is within the framework of our role to create a good health environment that provides disease-free lives. This strategy stems from considering ourselves as influential partners for the medical sector, which helps in attaining high cure rates for multiple diseases, that burden the country in terms of the economy, society, and health. Furthermore, type 2 diabetes is one of the most common diseases in Egypt among adults, so we are doing our best to provide the latest most efficient medicines and medical drugs, whether it is through our research centers and laboratories or through cooperation with other entities to achieve our goal in providing safe medical treatment to the Egyptian patient.”
Dr. Mohamed Khattab, Professor of Internal Medicine at Cairo University and President of the Egyptian Society of Diabetes and Blood Lipids, stated: “Diabetes is one of the most dangerous chronic diseases that affect Egyptians due to its ability to damage body parts, which leads to the patient’s infection with other chronic and acute diseases. The complications of diabetes are divided into two main types, some appear acute, and others are long-term. These complications include eye injuries, as type 2 diabetes is the first cause of blindness in the world, and 42% of Egyptian diabetics suffer from retinopathy, according to an Egyptian research study conducted in 2015. (1) It also causes serious foot problems that may lead to amputations, strokes, heart attacks, kidney diseases, and heart failure, which is one of the most unnoticed complications of type 2 diabetes in particular. On the other hand, in the early stages, diabetes can lead to serious complications such as hyperglycemia (HHS), which can threaten the life of the individual, and this condition is often the result of exposure to severe dehydration, and high blood sugar(2).” It is worth noting that the delay in the therapeutic intensification is one of the problems facing type 2 diabetics in Egypt and the world, which increases the frequency of complications of diabetes.
Dr. Abbas Orabi, Professor of Internal Medicine and Diabetes at Zagazig University, said: “Xigduo tablets are one of the latest and most successful medical drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in recent years, as it contains anti-hyperglycemic agents and complementary mechanisms of action, in addition to dapagliflozin, which is Sodium glucose inhibitor 2 (SGLT2) and metformin hydrochloride (HCl), which offer additional benefits beyond those two drugs individually; not only lowering glucose levels, but also reduce the risk of heart disease and kidney failure, and lowering blood pressure. The medication is taken as a pill twice a day, instead of taking two medicines several times a day. Which helps the diabetic patient to regularize the use of the drug and to facilitate the line of therapeutic intensification, which is positively reflected on the patient’s health. The international recommendations for patients with diabetes to also indicate if the cumulative glucose analysis is more than or equal to 7.5%”
Dr. Salah Shelbaya, Professor of Internal Medicine, Ain Shams University, confirmed that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by changing one’s lifestyle, especially with exercise and a healthy diet, and some cases of type 2 diabetes can be improved through weight loss (4), in addition to controlling blood pressure, and undergoing regular tests and examinations.
Shelbaya added: “There are many recent studies that confirm that patients with type 2 diabetes have a greater ability to succeed in controlling blood sugar levels after the failure of monotherapy, and that is in the case of exposure to early intensive treatment. The results of a large group of patients with type 2 diabetes over a 22-year period showed that delaying intense therapy for patients dependent on oral anti-diabetes medication (OAD), or insulin therapy, led to a significant increase of heart attacks, heart failure, strokes, and many other cardiovascular diseases. An international study, part of which was conducted in Egypt, also indicated that there is a delay in oral intensification in Egyptian patients for a period of five years or more. As indicated by the DISCOVER Study, which indicates the great importance of more drugs to improve the quality of life of patients with type 2 diabetes.
He also announced that the presence of the Xigduo drug in the Egyptian market at a concentration of 5/1000 mg, will help doctors and patients in controlling blood sugar levels and protecting them from the aforementioned complications. He added that the treatment plan after diagnosing type 2 diabetes is always drawn up in agreement with the patient, taking into account their conditions in terms of health and age. He stressed that the first step of treatment is the health system, then the appropriate daily movement of the patient, followed by the selection of the appropriate medication based on the patient’s needs, abilities and daily activity. He also reported that the new treatment guidelines issued by the American Diabetes Association for the year 2021 (4), call for the use of mixed therapy from the very beginning, with the ability to reduce the risk of heart and kidney disease, for patients with high blood sugar levels (high cumulative diabetes rate).
It is worth mentioning that AstraZeneca has a long history in the field of research and development to provide the latest treatments for all chronic diseases, especially diabetes, metabolic, cardiovascular and kidney diseases and will continue to provide everything new for the benefit of the Egyptian patient.
Dr. Sherif Waguih, Head of the Scientific Department at AstraZeneca Egypt, commented: “Egypt occupies the ninth place in the world in terms of the prevalence of diabetes, as there are about 9 million patients in Egypt who are more likely to suffer from complications such as heart and kidney diseases, which calls for the importance of finding effective solutions to reduce these complications. Furthermore, AstraZeneca pays great attention to research and development to provide the latest treatments for a better quality of life for the Egyptian patient.”
