Teduglutide for the treatment of short bowel syndrome - a safety evaluation

Teduglutide is an analog of glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) which is approved for the treatment of patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) who are dependent on parenteral support. Areas covered: Short bowel syndrome is a rare condition that can result from extensive resection of small bowel, congenital abnormalities, or inflammatory conditions that leads to poor nutrient processing capacity of the intestine. In this review, the safety reported in controlled clinical trials and real-world experience with teduglutide are presented in depth. Expert opinion: Trials and limited real-world experience demonstrated that teduglutide could decrease parenteral support requirements with the potential of achieving independence from parenteral support in some patients. This is an important treatment option for SBS patients given the well-established risks associated with parenteral support. The available data, albeit limited due to the small number of patients in the so-far performed studies, suggest that teduglutide appears to be safe to use in patients with intestinal failure who are dependent on parenteral support. However, additional long-term safety data are needed.