New, expensive diabetes drugs function no better than older versions while carrying more dangerous side effects, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers from Tufts University conducted a meta-analysis of 29 prior studies of Byetta (from Eli Lilly and Co. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals) and Januvia (from Merck & Co.). The drugs have become highly popular recently, largely because they do not cause weight gain or low blood sugar like older diabetes drugs do.

The two new drugs act by a mechanism called incretin-based therapy, which targets the hormones that regulate insulin secretion after a meal. Byetta is a synthetic version of a naturally occurring hormone, while Januvia acts by blocking an enzyme that breaks down that hormone.

The Tufts study concluded that the drugs are effective at controlling blood sugar, but not any more so than older, less expensive medications. In addition, because 26 of the 29 studies were less than eight months long, the researchers warned that the drugs' long-term health effects are unknown. Even with the short-term studies, the medications are already known to have side effects including infection, nausea and vomiting.

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New, over-hyped diabetes drugs no better than older, cheaper drugs

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