November 10, 2000

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Type 2 diabetes is harder to control in minorities, but no one really knows why. That’s one reason UAB is helping conduct a drug study designed especially for men and women who are African American or Hispanic.

“We do not know for sure why type 2 diabetes is more difficult to treat in these minority groups, but because they constitute a disproportionate number of the diabetic population, it is important that we continue to seek answers and better therapies,” says Dr. Fernando Ovalle, who is leading the UAB portion of this national drug trial.

According to Ovalle, minority diabetics could be difficult to treat because of genetics, diet, environmental factors, or a combination of these. “What we do know is that there is a high incidence of type 2 diabetes in these groups, and that they are more difficult to control with the currently available medications,” he says. “Their blood sugar is harder to control so we are attempting to use a combination of standard medication with a new drug to see if we can be more successful.”

Patients with type 2 diabetes who do not keep their blood sugar within an acceptable range are at higher risk of strokes, heart disease, and kidney disease.

The local study is being conducted by the UAB Office of Clinical Research with funding from SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals. Participants may be male or female Hispanics or African Americans who are at least 21 years old and have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. They must also have been taking sulfonylurea in an attempt to control their disease. Sulfonylurea is prescribed under the generic names of Glyburide, Glipizide, and Glimepiride as well as the brand names of Diabeta, Micronase, Glucotrol, and Amaryl.

Half the people in the study will continue to use that drug and a placebo, while the other half will use that drug plus a new antidiabetic agent called BRL-049653. It is believed that combining these two drugs can increase control of sugar in the bloodstream.

BRL-049653 is believed to work by decreasing the body’s resistance to use of naturally produced insulin. The drug also will be studied to see whether it has beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease, a frequent complication of uncontrolled diabetes. The study will last eight months. Medication, physical examination, diet instruction, and laboratory testing to monitor blood sugar levels will be provided at no cost to participants.