Summary
Metoprolol has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Type 2 Diabetes would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Type 2 Diabetes. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Metoprolol to Type 2 Diabetes: 6 have completed; 2 are terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT01500590). The largest enrolment is 10251 participants (NCT00000620). Registration activity spans 1999 to 2020. The literature layer holds 7 publications for this pair: 1 Cochrane review, 1 randomised controlled trial publication and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 2008 to 2024. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus ranks 767 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: 1.6-1.7% at 7 years on standard care (population-level cohorts UK and US).
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 68.0 (trials 30.0, literature 18.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 8 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 6 completed, 2 other |
| Linked publications | 7 (5 clinical trial publications, 1 Cochrane review, 1 randomised controlled trial publication) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | Open Targets, ChEMBL |
| Linked via biomarker / target | ABCC8 |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT00123604 | Vascular Effects of Carvedilol Versus Metoprolol in Hypertensive Patients With Type 2 Diabetes 2004 | completed | Phase 4 | 36 |
| NCT00744237 | Study of the Glycemic Effects of Nebivolol Compared With Metoprolol and HCTZ in Diabetic Hypertensive Patients 2008 | completed | Phase 4 | 231 |
| NCT00497003 | Effect of Beta Blocker Treatment on Endothelial Function in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes or Chronic Heart Failure 2004 | completed | Phase 4 | 50 |
| NCT02246712 | Influence of Diabetes on Tramadol Pharmacokinetics 2008 | completed | Phase 4 | 30 |
| NCT00642434 | Comparison of Blood Pressure Medications on Metabolism 2004 | completed | Phase 4 | 22 |
| NCT01500590 | Effect of Renin-angiotensin System Blockers on Glomerular Filtration Rate in Patients With Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes With Normoalbuminuria 2011 | status unknown | Phase 4 | 1,400 |
| NCT00000620 | Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) 1999 | completed | Phase 3 | 10,251 |
| NCT04504045 | Metformin's Effect on Drug Metabolism in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes 2020 | terminated | Phase 1 | 10 |
Published literature
- Cochrane review Position of Beta-blockers in the Treatment of Hypertension Today: An Indian ConsensusMohan JC, Roy DG, Ray S et al. · The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India · 2024 · PMID 39390868
- Clinical trial publication The effects of anti-hypertensives and type 2 diabetes on salivary flow and total antioxidant capacityDjukić LJ, Roganović J, Brajović MD et al. · Oral diseases · 2015 · PMID 25689395
- Clinical trial publication Effects of nebivolol on aortic compliance in patients with diabetes and maximal renin angiotensin system blockade: the EFFORT studyBriasoulis A, Oliva R, Kalaitzidis R et al. · Journal of clinical hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.) · 2013 · PMID 23815535
- Clinical trial publication Metoprolol compared to carvedilol deteriorates insulin-stimulated endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes - a randomized studyKveiborg B, Hermann TS, Major-Pedersen A et al. · Cardiovascular diabetology · 2010 · PMID 20500877
- Clinical trial publication [Efficacy and tolerability of metoprolol retard in the treatment of patients with arterial hypertension and ischemic heart disease combined with type 2 diabetes mellitus]Galeeva ZM, Galiavich AS · Kardiologiia · 2009 · PMID 19257862
- Randomized controlled trial Comparison of carvedilol and metoprolol on serum lipid concentration in diabetic hypertensive patientsBell DS, Bakris GL, McGill JB · Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2009 · PMID 18564334
- Clinical trial publication Demographic analyses of the effects of carvedilol vs metoprolol on glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension in the Glycemic Effects in Diabetes Mellitus: Carvedilol-Metoprolol Comparison in Hypertensives (GEMINI) studyPhillips RA, Fonseca V, Katholi RE et al. · Journal of the cardiometabolic syndrome · 2008 · PMID 19040589
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ABCC8. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Metoprolol approved for Type 2 Diabetes?
Metoprolol has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Type 2 Diabetes would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Type 2 Diabetes. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Metoprolol in clinical trials for Type 2 Diabetes?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Metoprolol to Type 2 Diabetes: 6 have completed; 2 are terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT01500590). The largest enrolment is 10251 participants (NCT00000620). Registration activity spans 1999 to 2020.
What does the evidence show for Metoprolol in Type 2 Diabetes?
Metoprolol has both completed registered trials and synthesis-level publications linked to Type 2 Diabetes. That is the strongest profile in this database, but the summaries here do not extract effect sizes, so read the linked reviews for direction and magnitude of benefit. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ABCC8. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.