Farxiga (dapagliflozin) is an oral diabetes medicine that helps control blood sugar levels. It works by helping the kidneys get rid of glucose from your bloodstream. Farxiga is used together with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
In 2012, the FDA approved canagliflozin (Invokana), the first in a new class of diabetes drugs that helps lower blood sugar by causing the body to excrete glucose through the urine. This effect is accomplished by inhibiting the reabsorption of water by the kidney, which leads to an increase in urine output. The FDA approved canagliflozin based on data from two large clinical trials (the CANVAS Program) involving more than 10,000 participants with type 2 diabetes. The trials showed that canagliflozin, when used with diet and exercise, helped lower blood sugar levels and also resulted in weight loss and a reduction in the need for insulin or other diabetes medications. Canagliflozin is currently approved for use in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is not approved for use in children or adolescents.
There is no clear winner between Farxiga and Invokana. Both drugs are effective at treating type 2 diabetes, but they work in different ways. Farxiga lowers blood sugar by helping the body to excrete glucose through the urine. Invokana lowers blood sugar by reducing the amount of glucose that the liver produces.