"Effective Combined Use of SGLT2 Inhibitors and DPP4 Inhibitors for Diabetes Developed After Kidney Transplantation"

Professor Yang Cheol-woo (left) and Professor Ko Eun-jung, Department of Nephrology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital.

원본보기 아이콘

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] A study has found that co-administration of the new drugs 'SGLT2 inhibitors' and 'DPP4 inhibitors' shows a synergistic effect in diabetes that occurs after kidney transplantation. This suggests a new treatment direction for diabetes following kidney transplantation and is expected to help in the treatment of diabetes in transplant patients in the future.

Catholic University Seoul St. Mary's Hospital announced on the 26th that a research team led by Professor Yang Cheol-woo (corresponding author) and Professor Go Eun-jung (first author) from the Department of Nephrology, along with research faculty Lim Seon-woo from the Clinical Medicine Research Institute, published these findings.

The research team confirmed the combined effect of SGLT2 inhibitors and DPP4 inhibitors in diabetic mice induced by the immunosuppressant tacrolimus, and found that combined therapy provided better diabetes control than monotherapy. Additionally, the combined administration of the two drugs showed a synergistic effect in protecting the pancreas and kidneys.

When diabetes occurs after kidney transplantation, it shortens the lifespan of the transplanted kidney and increases cardiovascular complications, potentially threatening the patient's life. Although there are various factors causing diabetes after transplantation, long-term use of tacrolimus, a representative immunosuppressant taken to prevent rejection after kidney transplantation, causes diabetes in about 30% of patients, requiring caution.

The recently developed diabetes drug SGLT2 inhibitors lower blood sugar by inhibiting the reabsorption of glucose in the renal tubules, causing glucose to be excreted in the urine, while DPP4 inhibitors block the degradation of GLP-1 in the intestines, promoting insulin secretion. These drugs are gaining attention as treatments for type 2 diabetes due to their mechanisms distinct from conventional diabetes medications; however, treatment guidelines for diabetes occurring in transplant patients have not yet been established.

Professor Yang Cheol-woo said, “Until now, there has been no clear treatment manual for patients who develop diabetes after transplantation, so treatment methods for type 2 diabetes patients were applied. However, through this study, we demonstrated that combined administration of SGLT2 inhibitors and DPP4 inhibitors is effective in treating diabetes occurring in transplant patients, thereby presenting new diabetes treatment standards for organ transplant patients. The combined use of SGLT2 inhibitors and DPP4 inhibitors not only lowers blood sugar but also has a synergistic effect in protecting kidney and pancreatic damage, and is expected to be effective in preventing cardiovascular complications in kidney transplant patients.”

The study results were published on March 16 in the official journal of the American Transplantation Society, the American Journal of Transplantation (IF 8.086). The research was recognized for being the first to demonstrate the therapeutic effect of SGLT2 inhibitors and DPP4 inhibitors on diabetes caused by immunosuppressants and for elucidating the treatment mechanism, and was selected as the Top Abstract at the American Transplantation Society meeting to be held in Boston, USA, in June.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.