Combining Saxagliptin and Acarbose to Improve Postprandial Glycaemia in Type 2 Diabetes

Inclusion Criteria: * Type 2 diabetes (World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria), managed by diet alone (i.e. no oral hypoglycaemic drugs or insulin) * Body mass index (BMI) 20 - 40 kg/m2 * Age 18 - 70 years * Males and post-menopausal females (to control for the effect of the menstrual cycle on gut hormone secretion) * Glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥ 6.0% and ≤ 7.9% * Haemoglobin above the lower limit of the normal range (i.e. \>135g/L for men and 115g/L for women), and ferritin above the lower limit of normal (i.e. \>10mcg/L) Exclusion Criteria: * Use of any medication that may influence gastrointestinal motor function, body weight or appetite * Evidence of drug abuse, consumption of more than 20 g alcohol or 10 cigarettes on a daily basis * History of gastrointestinal disease, including significant upper or lower gastrointestinal symptoms, pancreatitis, or previous gastrointestinal surgery (other than uncomplicated appendicectomy or cholecystectomy) * Other significant illness, including epilepsy, cardiovascular or respiratory disease * Autonomic nerve damage (as assessed by standardised cardiovascular reflex tests \[36\]) * Impaired renal or liver function (as assessed by calculated creatinine clearance \< 90 mL/min or abnormal liver function tests (\> 2 times upper limit of normal range)) * Allergy to vildagliptin or any other 'gliptin' * Donation of blood within the previous 3 months * Participation in any other research studies within the previous 3 months * Females who are pre-menopausal * Inability to give informed consent * Vegetarians