Using results of a large intervention trial called the "United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study" (UKPDS) as guide, a parallel study was made to compare efficacy and tolerability of combination treatments with glibenclamide and metformin as against each of these drugs alone in the treatment of diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. Leading the study is a team of foreign medical experts led by Flavia Tozi, Michelle Mugeo, Elisbetta Brun and Giovanna Spiazzi.

A randomized, double-blind comparative study was made on eighty-eight Type 2 diabetic patients (56 males, 32 females), all of whom had high plasma glucose and hemoglobin levels (greater than 140 mg/dL and HbA1c levels of 8% + 1%) at the onset. Each were randomly assigned to double-blind treatments with metformin (500 - 3,000 mg. per day), glibenclamide (5 - 15 mg. per day), or a combination of metformin (400 to 2,400 mg. per day) and glibenclamide (2.5 to 15 mg. per day) for six months.

The groups were then crossed over the next 6 months, so each one was able to receive treatments of metformin or glibenclamide, and the combination treatment at any given time. After the study, four (10%) subjects receiving metformin, seven (17.1%) receiving glibenclamide, and thirty-one (39.2%) receiving combination treatment achieved lower hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels of < 6%.

Resulting data thus proved that the one-pill "metformin" and "glibenclamide" combination treatment is more effective in improving glycemic control (blood sugar level) in patients with Type 2 diabetes compared to those using just one of these drugs alone. It was also established that Type 2 diabetes may still be delayed significantly, or even prevented, with strict glycemic control.

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases usually characterized by high blood sugar or glucose levels resulting from defects in insulin secretion and insulin action, or in both. In ancient times, diabetes was first identified as a disease associated with "sweet urine" since people with diabetes often suffer from elevated levels of blood glucose (or hyperglycemia) which leads to spillage of glucose into the urine -- hence, the term "sweet urine".

While there is still neither a clear understanding of the cause of diabetes, nor a cure, recent research has demonstrated the need for a continuous, tight control of blood glucose to avoid its long-term complications. Any and all diabetics patients must seek first and foremost medical consult, advice, prescription, and management.

So, as soon as the disease is diagnosed, most patients today are advised to have diabetic diet and if uncontrolled by such diet, take drug therapy with anti-hyperglycemia agents like metformin and glibenclamide. Metformin is usually given to those with insulin resistance. Glibenclamide, on the other hand, is an antidiabetic medication which is used in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM). They work by lowering blood sugar levels and promoting the movement of sugar from blood and into cells in the body that needs it.

Diabetes is a chronic medical condition and although it can be controlled, it lasts a lifetime. What’s more, Type 2 diabetes sometimes becomes more severe and difficult to treat over time. While strict adherence to lifestyle modifications may achieve glycemic control, it is usually difficult for a person afflicted with the disease to adhere to such lifestyle changes in the long-term.

Today, in an effort to allow more and more diabetics worldwide to control their blood sugar levels more effectively, Roche has come up with a prescription drug that combines both glibenclamide and metformin in just one pill. A one-pill drug is a convenient alternative to taking 2 separate pills and is proven to offer a more effective reduction of one’s HbA1c and FPG levels.

In conjunction with a diet low in sugar and fat, the Roche one-pill drug is seen to work in the same way that the combination treament in above-mentioned study did. The result of this particular study may already be considered a medical breakthrough in our battle against this dreaded disease. Given the high risk of developing resistance to any of these drugs, this Roche one-pill glibenclamide+metformin drug could surely go a long way in helping ensure a better life for diabetic patients.