Type 2 diabetes is frequently overlooked in clinical trials, analysis reveals

New analysis of official records from the National Institute of Health (NIH) have revealed that just 365,000 people took part in a clinical trial for Type 2 Diabetes in 2021, despite 37.3 million people in the US living with the condition – or more than 11% of the population.

By taking part in a clinical trial, people affected by conditions like diabetes can access innovative new treatments and drugs and help bring the medicines to market much faster, benefiting millions of others.

The new findings were uncovered by Lindus Health, a clinical trials start-up, who analyzed the official clinical trial records across multiple diseases and found that diabetes was clearly being under-represented – with the equivalent of fewer than 1% of people affected by the disease being involved in a trial.

Despite the number of people affected by diabetes, the condition is frequently overlooked in clinical trials. This is despite the success of semaglutide as a treatment for diabetes and the growing market for effective treatments.

In 2021, participants in clinical trials for cancer represented the equivalent of around 34% of the number of those living with the disease. Likewise, the equivalent of around 7% of people in the US with Alzheimer’s Disease were part of a trial for the condition in the same year.

Clinical trials are fundamental for finding new treatments and care for those with chronic illnesses. Without the right support, those with diabetes are at risk of serious health complications. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the US, with the total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in the US standing at $327 billion.

In this context, Lindus Health is delivering clinical trials for Type 2 Diabetes treatments three times faster than the industry standard – helping to bring them to patients more quickly.

One such study is a digital Type 2 Diabetes remission trial with the Habitual Remission Programme, which aims to discover if the Total Diet Replacement plan is more likely to cause the reversal of type 2 diabetes compared to standard NHS care.

Conducted entirely remotely, the trial enables participants to input their data, including measurements and blood samples, from the convenience of their homes – helping to improve patient experiences and lead to better quality data.

Lindus Health has also previously delivered two pre-diabetes trials – one with digital therapeutics company dnaNudge and a second with gut-focused health-tech start-up, Myota.

The first trial investigated the effectiveness of a DNA-based diet on reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in people who have pre-diabetes, whilst the second looked to support an EFSA health claim for Myota’s fibre product.

And this year, Lindus Health is launching a trial aimed at treating and reversing Type 2 Diabetes with George Medicines.

Complications from diabetes can be fatal – and the number of people living with the disease is staggering. It is more important than ever that governments and innovators step up their game in bringing new, life-changing treatments to patients with this condition.

As the only industry provider with a fully integrated clinical trial system underpinning all our clinical operations, we’re able to deliver faster, more reliable clinical trials. We’re proud to partner with pioneering companies looking to bring new treatments for people affected by diabetes to market."

Michael Young, Co-Founder, Lindus Health