Merck & Co. has revealed that a combination pill for diabetes patients containing the old generic drug metformin and the newer Januvia has been cleared for sale in the US.
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The product known as Janumet is designed to make it easier for type 2 diabetes patients to control their blood pressure and will treat all causes of the disease.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Januvia in October. Januvia is part of a new class of drugs known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4 inhibitors), which enhance the body's own ability to lower blood sugar when it is elevated. Metformin is the most commonly prescribed diabetes pill.
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly.