The New York Times said findings have not been publicized by drug makers Eli Lilly and Amylin because the findings are so preliminary. While the patients in the clinical trial who took Byetta had a much lower chance of dying than those who were taking other drugs, only about 825 patients in the 10,000-patient trial were taking Byetta, the newspaper said.

Byetta, first in a new class of diabetes medicines called incretin mimetics, is less likely than other diabetes medicines to cause hypoglycemia or dangerously low blood sugar. The study said patients on Byetta may also lose weight, reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems commonly associated with death for diabetics.