Januvia is an investigational once-daily medicine that, if approved, would potentially be the first in a new class of oral drugs in the US that enhance the body's natural ability to lower blood sugar (glucose) when it is elevated. Data from the latest study shows that the drug was well tolerated and showed no meaningful differences in tolerability compared to metformin alone, Merck said.
“The significant glucose-lowering efficacy seen in this study suggests complementary mechanisms of action of sitagliptin and metformin resulting in an additive effect when both agents are given together,” said Dr Barry Goldstein, study investigator.
“These results demonstrated that giving sitagliptin and metformin together was well tolerated with significantly greater efficacy than metformin alone, a mainstay of current diabetes treatment,” he continued.