SGLT2 Inhibitors: A New Generation of Antidiabetic Drugs

The incidence of type 2 diabetes is markedly increasing worldwide. Despite a plethora of therapeutic options available for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, the ability to effectively normalize blood glucose levels and prevent long-term complications of diabetes remains elusive. There is intense search for new drugs for diabetes. One novel therapeutic class of antidiabetic drugs is sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. SGLT2 is renal membrane transporter that plays an important role in glucose reabsorption within kidneys. Hence, inhibition of SGLT2 enhances renal glucose excretion, consequently lowers blood glucose levels in an insulin- independent manner. This article describes various SGLT2 inhibitors currently available in the market and also agents that are undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Currently three SGLT2 inhibitors are approved for clinical use and several others are still in development. The emerging data suggest that SGLT2 inhibitors hold great promise for the clinical management of type 2 diabetes. It remains to be seen whether this class of drugs offers additional advantages over the existing oral hypoglycemic agents.