Ipragliflozin: A novel sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor developed in Japan

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibition induces glucosuria and decreases blood glucose levels in diabetic patients and lowers hypoglycemic risk. SGLT1 is expressed in the kidney and intestine; SGLT1 inhibition causes abdominal symptoms such as diarrhea and reduces incretin secretion. Therefore, SGLT2 selectivity is important. Ipragliflozin is highly selective for SGLT2. In type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), urinary glucose excretion increased to 90 g/24 h after 28 d of treatment with ipragliflozin 300 mg/d. Twelve weeks of ipragliflozin 50 mg/d vs placebo reduced glycated hemoglobin and body weight by 0.65% and 0.66 kg, respectively, in Western T2DM patients, and by 1.3% and 1.89 kg, respectively, in Japanese patients. Ipragliflozin (highly selective SGLT2 inhibitor) improves glycemic control and reduces body weight and lowers hypoglycemic risk and abdominal symptoms. Ipragliflozin can be a novel anti-diabetic and anti-obesity agent.