A promising combination for future treatment of type 2 diabetes: Coadministration of empagliflozin (SGLT-2 inhibitor) with linagliptin (DPP-4 inhibitor)

Background, methods: Here we investigated the effects of long-term treatment with empagliflozin, a sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor in clinical development, alone and in combination with the DPP-4 inhibitor linagliptin (LINA; approved antidiabetes drug) on whole body and organ-specific insulin sensitivity in db/db mice using euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps. Results: In 8-week old female db/db mice (n = 15/group) treated for 8 weeks, the glucose disposal rate was improved in the 10 mg/kg/d EMPAGLIFLOZIN group (5.9 mg/kg/min; p < 0.001), the 3 mg/kg/d LINA group (3.4 mg/kg/min; p < 0.01) and th…