Drugs like Januvia (sitagliptin) and Galvus (vildagliptin), which are both DPP-4 inhibitors, have the potential to not only reduce blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetics but also facilitate regeneration of pancreatic beta-cells if the diabetes is treated at an early stage, according to a Danish researcher.

Jens Juul Holst, a professor of medicine at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, said it appears that "it's possible to do something positive for the beta cells" when type 2 diabetics receive early treatment with a DPP-4 inhibitor.

Januvia has been on the market in the United States for almost a year, and both Januvia and Galvus are now approved for use in the European Union. The FDA has deferred approval of Galvus for use in the United States pending additional safety studies.

The mechanism of action of DPP-4 inhibitors is distinct from any existing class of oral glucose-lowering agents, and they have shown the potential, based on animal and in vitro studies, to facilitate regeneration and differentiation of pancreatic beta-cells.

Holst said early results from a six-month clinical trial, to be published later this year, showed that DPP-4 inhibitors, when used in patients at an early stage of glucose intolerance, produced a significant improvement in beta-cell function.