Dasiglucagon Treatment for Postprandial Hypoglycemia After Gastric Bypass: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Postbariatric hypoglycemia affects >50% of individuals who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Despite the often debilitating nature of this complication, existing treatment options are limited and often inefficient. Dasiglucagon is a stable glucagon analog available in a ready-to-use formulation and was recently shown to mitigate postbariatric hypoglycemia in experimental settings. Here, we aimed to evaluate the hypoglycemic hindering potential of dasiglucagon in an outpatient trial. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, proof-of-concept study at the Center for Clinical Metabolic Research at Gentofte Hospital in Denmark. The study included 24 individuals who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (n = 23 women) with continuous glucose monitor-verified postbariatric hypoglycemia (≥15 min at <3.9 mmol/L three or more times per week) randomly assigned to two treatment periods of 4 weeks of self-administered subcutaneous dasiglucagon at 120 µg or placebo. The primary and key secondary outcomes were continuous glucose monitor-captured percentage of time in level 1 and 2 hypoglycemia (<3.9 and <3.0 mmol/L), respectively. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, treatment with dasiglucagon significantly reduced time in level 1 hypoglycemia by 33% (-1.2 percentage points; 95% CI -2.0 to -0.5; P = 0.002) and time in level 2 hypoglycemia by 54% (-0.4 percentage points; 95% CI -0.6 to -0.2; P < 0.0001). Furthermore, dasiglucagon corrected hypoglycemia within 15 min in 401 of 412 self-administrations, compared with 104 of 357 placebo self-administrations (97.3% vs. 29.1% correction of hypoglycemia rate; P < 0.001). Dasiglucagon was generally well tolerated, with mostly mild to moderate adverse events of nausea. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with placebo, 4 weeks of self-administered dasiglucagon effectively reduced clinically relevant hypoglycemia in individuals who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

The naturally occurring GIP(1-30)NH2 is a GIP receptor agonist in humans.

OBJECTIVE: The gut hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is an important regulator of glucose and bone metabolism. In rodents, the naturally occurring GIP variant, GIP(1-30)NH2, has shown similar effects as full-length GIP (GIP(1-42)), but its effects in humans are unsettled. Here, we investigated the actions of GIP(1-30)NH2 compared to GIP(1-42) on glucose and bone metabolism in healthy men and in isolated human pancreatic islets. METHODS: Nine healthy men completed three separate three-step glucose clamps (0-60 minutes at fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level, 60-120 minutes at 1.5× FPG, and 120-180 minutes at 2× FPG) with infusion of GIP(1-42) (4 pmol/kg/min), GIP(1-30)NH2 (4 pmol/kg/min), and saline (9 mg/mL) in randomised order. Blood was sampled for measurement of relevant hormones and bone turnover markers. Human islets were incubated with low (2 mmol/L) or high (20 mmol/L) d-glucose with or without GIP(1-42) or GIP(1-30)NH2 in three different concentrations for 30 minutes, and secreted insulin and glucagon were measured. RESULTS: Plasma glucose (PG) levels at FPG, 1.5× FPG, and 2× FPG were obtained by infusion of 1.45 g/kg, 0.97 g/kg, and 0.6 g/kg of glucose during GIP(1-42), GIP(1-30)NH2, and saline, respectively (P = .18), and were similar on the three experimental days. Compared to placebo, GIP(1-30)NH2 resulted in similar glucagonotropic, insulinotropic, and carboxy-terminal type 1 collagen crosslinks-suppressing effects as GIP(1-42). In vitro experiments on human islets showed similar insulinotropic and glucagonotropic effects of the two GIP variants. CONCLUSIONS: GIP(1-30)NH2 has similar effects on glucose and bone metabolism in healthy individuals and in human islets in vitro as GIP(1-42).

No Acute Effects of Exogenous Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide on Energy Intake, Appetite, or Energy Expenditure When Added to Treatment With a Long-Acting Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist in Men With Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Dual incretin receptor agonists in clinical development have shown reductions in body weight and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes, but the impact of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor activation remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the effects of high-dose exogenous GIP on energy intake, energy expenditure, plasma glucose, and glucose-regulating hormones in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with a long-acting glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind design, men with type 2 diabetes (n = 22, mean ± SEM HbA1c 6.8 ± 0.1% [51 ± 1.5 mmol/mol]) treated with metformin and long-acting GLP-1R agonists were subjected to two 5-h continuous infusions (separated by a washout period of ≥3 days): one with GIP (6 pmol/kg/min) and another with saline (placebo). After 60 min of infusion, a liquid mixed-meal test was performed, and after 270 min of infusion, an ad libitum meal was served for evaluation of energy intake (primary end point). RESULTS: Energy intake was similar during GIP and placebo infusion (648 ± 74 kcal vs. 594 ± 55 kcal, respectively; P = 0.480), as were appetite measures and energy expenditure. Plasma glucagon and glucose were higher during GIP infusion compared with placebo infusion (P = 0.026 and P = 0.017) as assessed by area under the curve. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with type 2 diabetes, GIP infusion on top of treatment with metformin and a long-acting GLP-1R agonist did not affect energy intake, appetite, or energy expenditure but increased plasma glucose compared with placebo. These results indicate no acute beneficial effects of combining GIP and GLP-1.