A Potential New Market for Byetta?

Cincinatti, OHType 2 diabetes drug Byetta, thought to be associated with acute pancreatitis and various other side effects, may one day put at risk an even wider range of patients. That's because an injectable form of Byetta is being considered for the treatment of a side effect caused by another drug.


Zyprexa (olanzapine), a drug used to treat bipolar disorder, comes with its own basket of side effects and adverse reactions—namely, weight gain and glucose intolerance. According to the 8/6/10 issue of US Fed News, researchers have decided that Byetta may help combat glucose intolerance and weight gain in Zyprexa patients.

To that end, a team led by Dr. Melissa DelBello at the University of Cincinatti will be conducting a double-blind trial in an effort to explore the effectiveness of Byetta in reducing appetite and enhancing satiety in overweight or obese adults suffering from mental illness who are treated with Zyprexa (olanzapine).

"Olanzapine is often very effective for people with psychiatric disorders; however, significant weight gain is a common side effect," says DelBello, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience with the University of Cincinatti. "We are investigating a possible solution to that weight gain."

While it is impossible to predict the outcome of the research, the potential for Byetta to reach an entirely new clientele carries a number of risks. Since Byetta was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2005, there have been various reports of kidney failure and other kidney-related problems linked to Byetta.

The FDA has also requested that Byetta manufacturers Amylin and Eli Lilly affix more prominent warnings about acute pancreatitis to the product. There have been about 78 reports of renal difficulty and some 40 reports of acute pancreatitis since 2005, including six deaths. The potential for a new market for Byetta may only add to the adverse reaction pool.