Bydureon Approved for Type 2 Diabetes

A once-weekly injection

FRIDAY, Jan. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Bydureon (exenatide extended release), Amylin Pharmaceuticals' long-acting version of the diabetes drug Byetta, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The once-weekly injection will include a label warning that the drug caused certain thyroid tumors in rats, the Dow Jones news service reported. It's not known whether the drug causes such tumors in people, the label warning says. But the drug shouldn't be used by people with a family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (a form of cancer), the warning continues.

Twice in 2010, the FDA declined approval of Bydureon, requesting additional studies and clinical information, Dow Jones reported.

Bydureon is a "glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor," a class of medications that helps the body produce more insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar.

Amylin is based in San Diego, Calif.

More information

For more about type 2 diabetes, visit MedlinePlus.

Scott Roberts

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