Takeda's Actos prevents diabetes, study finds

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, June 9 (Reuters) - Actos, a pill to treat diabetes, can prevent development of the disease in people with early symptoms, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

A study sponsored by Japan's largest drug maker, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd <4502.T>, showed use of its drug Actos reduced by 81 percent the number of people with so-called pre-diabetes who developed type-2 diabetes, compared to people taking a placebo.

"The clinical response in this study is next to astronomical -- not 100 percent but obviously highly significant," said Dr. Ralph DeFronzo of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, who led the study.

Actos and its rival Avandia from GlaxoSmithKline <GSK.L> are insulin sensitizers, belonging to a class of drugs called thiazolidinediones, TZDs or glitazones, which help the body better use insulin.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N09255912.htm

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If this is true and it's safe for this use, then this is good news for many people.