Empagliflozin/Linagliptin: A Review in Type 2 Diabetes

Empagliflozin/linagliptin (Glyxambi(®)) is a once-daily sodium glucose co-transporter type 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor and dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitor fixed-dose combination product that is approved in the USA as an adjunct to diet and exercise in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) when treatment with both empagliflozin and linagliptin is appropriate. This article reviews the clinical efficacy and tolerability of oral empagliflozin/linagliptin in patients with T2D and summarizes the pharmacological properties of the agents. Results of two randomized controlled trials of 52 weeks' duration in adults with T2D demonstrated that empagliflozin/linagliptin improved glycaemic control significantly more than linagliptin when administered as initial therapy (whereas results vs. empagliflozin were mixed in this setting) and significantly more than linagliptin or empagliflozin when administered as an add-on therapy to metformin. In addition to glycaemic control, empagliflozin/linagliptin provided significant weight loss compared with linagliptin in both trials. Empagliflozin/linagliptin was generally well tolerated in patients with T2D, with a low risk of hypoglycaemia and no reports of exacerbations of, or hospitalizations for, heart failure during the trials. As the first SGLT2 inhibitor/DPP-4 inhibitor fixed-dose combination available, empagliflozin/linagliptin is a useful new option for patients with T2D.