What the trial was testing
The ONWARDS 2 enrolled 526 patients with type 2 diabetes. The study was sponsored by Novo Nordisk A/S and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
Weekly insulin lowered A1C to 7.2% versus 7.4% with daily insulin after six months.
The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology · 2023 · NCT04770532
These findings — that weekly insulin brought blood sugar to 7.2% versus 7.4% with daily insulin — were published in the The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 526 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with type 2 diabetes, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This treatment showed better blood sugar control than the current standard daily insulin, with the convenience of just one shot per week instead of seven. However, this weekly insulin is not yet FDA-approved. If you're interested in once-weekly insulin options, talk to your doctor about whether clinical trials are available or when this might become an option.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open type 2 diabetes trials
China Monogenic Diabetes Registry
This observational study aims to establish a digital registry, screening platform for patients with monogenic diabetes using internet-based and mobile application technologies. The primary objectives are to: Characterize the genetic landscape of monogenic diabetes in the Chinese population, including pathogenic variants and their distribution Participants will: * Enroll in the monogenic diabetes registry via mobile application or web-based platform * Undergo molecular genetic testing to establish a definitive diagnosis
Diabetic Nephropathy in People With Diabetes. Prevalence and Predictive Factors
a prospective, observational, multi-center study with a cohort of 300 patients with Type 2 diabetes and macroalbuminuria. Prospectively we will collect kidney biopsies and analyse the transciptome of the kidney tissue and other biomarkers from blood, faeces, urine, proteomic- and metabolomic profiles and DNA-variants. Thereby we hope to be able to discover molecular and clinical profiles, that can help us in the diagnosis of DKD, and to identify different risks of progression that can benefit from different forms of personalized treatment.