The SMC has announced that dulaglutide and albiglutide, two once-weekly glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, have been approved for use as add-on therapy in Scotland. Both are licensed in combination with other glucose-lowering therapies, including insulin, when these fail to achieve adequate glycaemic control in conjunction with diet and exercise.
Dulaglutide 1.5mg (Trulicity®; Eli Lilly and Company) is approved as part of triple therapy in people with inadequate glycaemic control on two oral anti-diabetic drugs, as an alternative GLP-1 receptor agonist option. The SMC has not reviewed the agent for its other indication – as monotherapy in people for whom metformin is contraindicated – and currently does not recommend it for this use.
Albiglutide (Eperzan®; GlaxoSmithKline) is approved as an alternative once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist for use in combination with oral anti-diabetes agents as a third-line pre-insulin treatment option. The SMC has not reviewed and does not recommend its use as monotherapy.
To read the SMC’s advice in full, visit the dulaglutide and albiglutide pages on its website.
