First-of-its-kind medication shows significant cardiovascular benefits

A groundbreaking clinical trial has found that sotagliflozin—a drug originally approved for type 2 diabetes and kidney disease—can also significantly lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

The study, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, highlights sotagliflozin’s unique cardiovascular benefits, distinguishing it from existing SGLT2 inhibitors used for diabetes and heart failure.

Key findings from the clinical trial

• conducted on 10,584 patients with chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors
• patients were randomly assigned to receive sotagliflozin or a placebo
• follow-up period: 16 months
• results: 23% reduction in heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular-related deaths among those taking sotagliflozin

How does sotagliflozin work?

Sotagliflozin, commercially known as Inpefa, is a dual sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) inhibitor. Unlike traditional SGLT2 inhibitors, it also blocks SGLT1 receptors in the gut, heart, brain, and kidneys, which may explain its added cardiovascular benefits.

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“The stroke benefit observed in this study appears to be unique to sotagliflozin, as it has not been observed in trials of selective SGLT2 inhibitors.” Study authors

The bigger picture: addressing interconnected health risks

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• 38.4 million Americans have diabetes, which increases heart disease risk
• 1 in 3 adults with diabetes also has chronic kidney disease
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.

Diabetes and kidney disease place additional strain on the heart, increasing the risk of heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes. The new findings suggest that sotagliflozin could be a game-changing treatment by addressing these interconnected health issues simultaneously.

A new era in cardiovascular treatment?

Dr. Deepak L. Bhatt, study chair and director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, emphasized the significance of these findings:

“Physicians now have a new option to reduce global cardiovascular risk—such as heart failure, progression of kidney disease, heart attack, and stroke—in patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and other risk factors.”

With its FDA approval in 2023 and new clinical evidence supporting its expanded benefits, sotagliflozin could soon become a widely used treatment for preventing life-threatening cardiovascular events.