There are a number of different types of diabetes drugs – with some having similar ways of acting. Drugs which act similarly to each other are put into the same class of drugs.
Below is a list of the most common diabetes drug classes, an A-Z of all diabetes drugs, how they work, who they are for and which medications fall into these drug classes.
–Meglitinides / Prandial glucose regulator / Glinides
–Thiazolidinedione / Glitazones
–Incretin mimetics / GLP-1 analogues
Insulin is a hormone which helps to regulate blood sugar. A number of different types of insulin are available as medication, with some insulins acting for as long as a day and others acting for only a few hours.
However, insulin is prescribed for people with type 1 diabetes and for people with type 2 diabetes who have not responded so well on oral medication (tablets).
The only available diabetes medication in the biguanides class of drugs is metformin.
Biguanides prevent the liver from producing glucose and helps to improve the body’s sensitivity towards insulin. Metformin is commonly used as a first line treatment for type 2 diabetes and may occasionally be prescribed, in combination with insulin, for people with type 1 diabetes.
Sulphonylureas are the class of antidiabetic drug for type 2 diabetes that tends to include those drugs which end in ‘ide’.
The following drugs are all in the sulphonylureas class (branded names in brackets):
Sulphonylureas work by increasing the amount of insulin the pancreas produces and increasing the working effectiveness of insulin. The mode of action of sulphonylureas means that hypoglycemia and weight gain can be relatively common side effects.
The glinides are a class of drug which have a similar response as sulphonylureas but act for a shorter time. Meglitinides are prescribed to be taken by people with type 2 diabetes within half an hour before eating. As the drugs act for a shorter period than sulphonylureas, the side effects of hypoglycemia and weight gain have a smaller likelihood.
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, such as acarbose (marketed as Precose or Glucobay) or miglitol (branded as Glyset) are drugs for type 2 diabetes which slow down the digestion of carbohydrates in the small intestine and therefore can help to reduce after meal blood sugar levels.
Thiazolidinedione / Glitazones
Thiazolidinediones, also known as glitazones, are a medication for type 2 diabetes which help to improve insulin sensitivity and have been found to help decrease triglyceride levels.
However, these have recently been in public spotlight as questions over their long term safety.
In September 2010, the most popularly prescribed drug in this class rosiglitazone (Avandia) was banned for use by the European medicines Agency over heart attack concerns.
Pioglitazone (Actos) has also made the news in connection with instances of bladder cancer, however, the danger has not been deemed sufficient to need to ban the drug in the UK.
DPP-4 inhibitors / Gliptins
DPP-4 inhibitors, also known as gliptins, are a class of drug which help to stimulate the production of insulin and reduce the production of glucagon, particularly during digestion.
DPP-4 inhibitors are usually prescribed for people with type 2 diabetes who have not responded well to drugs such as metformin and sulphonylureas.
This drug class includes following medications (trade names in brackets):
Incretin mimetics, also known as GLP-1 analogues, are an injectable treatment for type 2 diabetes.
Incretin mimetics look to mimic the effect of a group of hormones called incretins which increase the production of insulin and decrease the release of glucagon in a relatively similar way DPP-4 inhibitors.
This is not a coincidence as the way DPP-4 inhibitors work is to prevent the protein dipeptidyl peptidase-4 from destroying the incretin hormones.
GLP-1 analogues have been found to be particularly effective in helping to improve blood glucose levels and helping with weight loss.
The following GLP-1 analogues are prescribed in the UK (branded names in brackets):
Amylin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and released at the same time as insulin, but in much smaller quantities (about 1% compared with insulin). Amylin helps to suppress glucagon release and therefore reduce post meal blood glucose levels.
Pramlintide acetate (marketed as Symlin) is available in the US as an injectable drug for the treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
The use of amylin with insulin can carry an increased chance of hypoglycemia.
Explore the 50+ diabetes drugs available in the UK and worldwide (including those discontinued in the UK):
Brand Name |
Generic Name |
Drug Form |
For Treating |
Drug Class |
Made By |
Drug Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Actos | Pioglitazone | Tablet | Type 2 | Thiazolidinediones (Glitazones) | Takeda | Antidiabetic drug used to improve glyemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes by reducing insulin resistance. |
Actrapid | Insulin soluble human |
Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Fast-acting medication used as a substitute for the body’s insulin in people with diabetes. |
Amaryl | Glimepiride | Tablet | Type 2 | Sulphonylureas | Sanofi-Aventis | Tablet diabetes medication used to help control blood sugar levels by boosting the body’s insulin sensitivity. |
Apidra | Insulin Glulisine |
Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Sanofi-Aventis | Fast acting, mealtime insulin used to help maintain blood sugar control for adults with type 2 diabetes or adults and children (4 years and older) with type 1 diabetes. |
Byetta | Exenatide | Injection solution |
Type 2 | Incretin mimetics (GLP-1 agonists) | Amylin Pharmaceuticals | Type 2 diabetes medication that helps to lower blood sugar levels by increasing the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas. |
Bydreoun | Exenatide | Injection solution |
Type 2 | Incretin mimetics (GLP-1 agonists) | Amylin Pharmaceuticals | Longer acting / extended-release form of exenatide (Byetta). |
Competact | Metformin hydrochloridePioglitazone hydrochloride | Tablet | Type 2 | Biguanides / Thiazolidinediones | Takeda Pharmaceuticals | Metformin/pioglitazone combination treatment used to help control blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes. |
Diamicron | Gliclazide | Tablet | Type 2 | Sulphonylureas | Servier Laboratories | Antidiabetic drug that stimulates the production of insulin in the pancreas to lower blood glucose levels. |
Eucreas | Metformin hydrochlorideVildagliptin |
Tablet | Type 2 | Biguanides / DPP-4 inhibitors | Novartis Pharmaceuticals | Metformin / vildagliptin combination treatment designed to help keep blood sugar level under control. |
Forxiga | Dapagliflozin | Tablet | Type 2 | SGLT2 inhibitors | Bristol-Myers Squibb + AstraZeneca PLC |
Tablet diabetes drug that works to reduce blood sugar levels by helping the kidneys to remove excess sugar from the body and excrete it via urine. |
Galvus | Vildagliptin | Tablet | Type 2 | DPP-4 inhibitors (Gliptins) | Novartis Pharmaceuticals | Oral type 2 diabetes drug that increases production of two incretin hormones in the body, which work to keep blood glucose levels in check. |
Glibenese (discontinued in the UK) | Glipizide | Tablet | Type 2 | Sulphonylureas | Pfizer Limited | Antidiabetic medicine for patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes that works mainly by stimulating insulin production and secretion from the pancreas. |
Gliclazide | Gliclazide | Tablet | Type 2 | Sulphonylureas | Servier Laboratories | Oral hypoglycemic medicine for type 2 diabetes patients that works mainly by boosting the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas |
Glimepiride | Glimepiride | Tablet | Type 2 | Sulphonylureas | N/A | Medium- to long-acting sulfonylurea drug indicated for treatment of type 2 diabetes that works mainly by encouraging the pancreas to produce more insulin. |
Glipizide | Glipizide | Tablet | Type 2 | Sulphonylureas | N/A | Oral antidiabetic drug that increases the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas to help reduce blood glucose levels. |
GlucaGen | Glucagon | Solution | Type 1 Type 2 |
N/A | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Antihypoglycemic medicine that uses glucagon to increase blood sugar levels in emergency siutations such as severe hypoglycemia. |
Glucobay | Acarbose | Tablet | Type 2 | Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors | Bayer AG | Oral drug that blocks the enzymes that digest starches in food, slowing down and reducing the rise in blood glucos throughout the day, especially after meals |
Humalog | Insulin lispro | Solution | Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Eli Lilly | Fast-acting form of insulin used to treat adults with diabetes for the control of high blood sugar. |
Humalog Mix | Insulin lisproInsulin lispro protamine |
Solution | Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Eli Lilly | Humalog mixes consisting of 25% insulin lispro solution and 75% insulin lispro protamine suspension (Mix25) & 50% insulin lispro solution and 50% insulin lispro protamine suspension (Mix50). |
Humulin I | Insulin isophane human |
Injection suspension |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Eli Lilly | Intermediate-acting insulin for the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus who require insulin for the maintenance of glucose homeostasis. |
Humulin M3 | Insulin isophane humanInsulin soluble human |
Injection suspension |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Eli Lilly | Ready-made Humulin mixture formulation consisting of soluble inuslin (30%) and isophane insulin (70%). |
Humulin S | Insulin soluble human |
Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Eli Lilly | |
Hypurin Bovine Isophane | Insulin isophane bovine |
Injection suspension |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Wockhardt UK Ltd |
Intermediate-acting insulin used to help achieve normal blood glucose control in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes. |
Hypurin Bovine Lente | Insulin zinc suspension mixed bovine |
Injection suspension |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Wockhardt UK Ltd |
Long-acting insulin (produced using a mixture of insulin obtained from cow pancreas and zinc) that helps control blood glucose throughout the day. |
Hypurin Bovine Protamine Zinc | Insulin protamine zinc bovine |
Injection suspension |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Wockhardt UK Ltd |
Long-acting insulin (produced using a mixture of insulin obtained from cow pancreas, zinc and protamine) that helps control of blood glucose throughout the day. |
Hypurin Porcine Isophane | Insulin isophane porcine |
Injection suspension |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Wockhardt UK Ltd |
Intermediate-acting insulin obtained from pig pancreas that helps control blood sugar levels during the day. |
Hypurin Porcine Neutral | Insulin soluble porcine |
Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Wockhardt UK Ltd |
Rapid-acting insulin (soluble or neutral insulin) obtained from pig pancreas that helps keep blood sugar levels under control. |
Insulatard | Insulin isophane human |
Injection suspension |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Intermediate-acting insulin for the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus who require insulin for the maintenance of glucose homeostasis. |
Insulin Glulisine | Insulin glulisine |
Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Sanofi-Aventis | Generic version of Apidra – a rapid acting, mealtime insulin used to help maintain blood sugar control for adults with type 2 diabetes or adults and children (4 years and older) with type 1 diabetes. |
Insuman Basal | Insulin isophane human |
Insulin | ||||
Insuman Comb | Insulin isophane humanInsulin soluble human |
Insulin | ||||
Insuman Rapid | Insulin soluble human |
Insulin | ||||
Invokana | Canagliflozin | Tablet | Type 2 | SGLT2 inhibitors | Janssen Pharmaceuticals | Tablet diabetes medication that works with your kidneys to help remove excess sugar from your body within urine and keep blood glucose levels under control. |
Janumet | Metformin hydrochlorideSitagliptin phosphate |
Tablet | Type 2 | Biguanides/DPP-4 inhibitors | Merck Sharp & Dohme |
Oral medicine that combines both metformin and sitagliptin to help manage blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. |
Januvia | Sitagliptin phosphate monohydrate |
Tablet | Type 2 | DPP-4 inhibitors (Gliptins) | Merck Sharp & Dohme |
Oral type 2 diabetes medication which works by increasing the amount of incretin hormones in the body that help control blood sugar. |
Jardiance | Empagliflozin | Tablet | Type 2 | SGLT2 inhibitors | Boehringer Ingelheim | Reduces kidneys ability to reabsorb glucose back into the blood. |
Lantus | Insulin glargine |
Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Sanofi-Aventis | Long-acting basal insulin analogue given once daily to assisit blood sugar control in people with diabetes. |
Levermir | Insulin detemir |
Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Long-acting human insulin analogue that helps control levels of blood glucose in diabetic patients. |
Lucentis | Ranibizumab | Injection solution |
DMO: Diabetic macular oedemawAMD: Wet age related macular degenerationMacular oedema caused by retinal vein occlusion |
Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) medications | Genentech | Injectable medicine for the treatment of visual impairement caused by diabetic macular oedema or wet age-related macular degeneration. |
Lyxumia | Lixisenatide | Injection solution | Type 2 | Incretin mimetics (GLP-1 agonists) | Sanofi | Daily injectable medication which can help with reducing blood glucose levels and body weight. |
Metformin | Metformin hydrochloride |
Tablet | Type 2 | Biguanides | Takeda Pharmaceuticals |
Oral anitdiabetic medication considered as the first-line of drug treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes, particulalry those who are also overweight or obese. |
Minodiab | Gilpizide | Tablet | Type 2 | Sulphonylureas | Pharmacia Limited |
Antidiabetic sulfonylurea drug designed to reduce blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes by stimulating insulin production in the pancreas. |
Mixtard (discontinued in the UK) | Insulin isophane humanInsulin soluble human |
Injection suspension |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Pre-mixed combination of fast-acting and intermediate-acting insulin that provides a rapid blood glucose-lowering effect after injection, followed by a prolonged glycemic control effect. |
NovoMix 30 | Insulin aspartInsulin aspart protamine |
Injection suspension |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Pre-mixed combination of fast-acting and long-acting insulin that rapidly lowers blood glucose following injection and helps maintain good blood glucose control throughout the day. |
NovoRapid | Insulin aspart |
Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Rapid-acting insulin analogue taken shortly before or shortly after a meal to control rising blood glucose levels after eating. |
Onglyza | Saxagliptin | Tablet | Type 2 | DPP-4 inhibitors (Gliptins) | Bristol-Myers Squibb |
Oral hypoglycemic agent that controls blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes patients by increasing the level of incretin hormones in the body. |
Pork Actrapid (discontinued in the UK) | Insulin soluble porcine |
Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Diabetes medicine containing soluble insulin obtained from pig pancreas that helps lower the amount of glucose in the blood. |
Pork Mixtard (discontinued in the UK) | Insulin isophane porcineInsulin soluble porcine |
Injection suspension |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Medication consisting of both short-acting insulin and intermediate-acting insulin that provides a rapid blood glucose-lowering effect after injection, followed by a prolonged glycemic control effect. |
Prandin | Repaglinide | Tablet | Type 2 | Prandial glucose regulators (Glinides) | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Antidiabetic drug that lowers blood glucose through a number of actions, including stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas into the blood stream |
Regranex | Becaplermin | Gel | Type 1 Type 2 |
Platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) | Janssen-Cilag Ltd |
Gel indicated for the treatment of chronic, lower extremity ulcers caused by diabetic neuropathy. |
Starlix | Nateglinide | Tablet | Type 2 | Prandial glucose regulators (Glinides) | Novartis Pharmaceuticals | Tablet diabetes medication that triggers the release of insulin from the pancreas to lower blood sugar levels. |
Symlin (not available in the UK) | Pramlinitide | Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Amylin analogues | Bristol Myers-Squibb |
Man-made version of the natural hormone amylin which works to reduce post-meal blood glucose levels. |
Tolbutamide | Tolbutamide | Tablet | Type 2 | Sulphonylureas | N/A | Oral hypoglycemic medicine used to help manage type 2 diabetes largely by stimulating the release of more insulin from the pancreas. |
Trulicity | Dulaglutide | Injection solution | Type 2 | Incretin mimetics (GLP-1 agonists) | Eli Lilly | Once weekly injectable incretin medication for treating type 2 diabetes. |
Velosulin (discontinued in the UK) | Insulin soluble human |
Injection solution |
Type 1 Type 2 |
Insulin | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Rapid-acting insulin intended intended for use in lowering blood glucose levels in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes. |
Victoza | Liraglutide | Injection solution |
Type 2 | Incretin mimetics (GLP-1 agonists) | Novo Nordisk Ltd |
Once-daily injectable medicine indicated for management of type 2 diabetes |
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