A Comprehensive Monograph on Taspoglutide (DB14027): A Case Study in Efficacy versus Safety

1.0 Executive Summary

Taspoglutide was an investigational, long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.[1] As a human-sequence-based peptide analog engineered for once-weekly subcutaneous administration, it represented a significant therapeutic advancement in the management of hyperglycemia. Its development was a collaborative effort, originating from research at Tulane University and progressing through a partnership between Ipsen and Roche.[3]

The extensive Phase III clinical trial program, known as T-emerge, demonstrated that Taspoglutide possessed a potent and clinically superior efficacy profile. In head-to-head trials, it achieved significantly greater reductions in glycosylated hemoglobin () and fasting plasma glucose compared to established therapies, including the twice-daily GLP-1 agonist exenatide and the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor sitagliptin.[5] These glycemic benefits were accompanied by the desirable effect of weight loss, consistent with its drug class.[5]