New kind of diabetes drug gets OK

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new kind of type 2 diabetes drug to help better control glucose levels.

Invokana is the first diabetes treatment approved in a new class of drugs known as sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors,” said Mary Parks, M.D., director of the Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. 

The drug prevents the kidney from reabsorbing glucose, according to the FDA. It increases glucose excretion in urine and lowers blood glucose for those with elevated levels.