Merck & Co's Januiva: 'non-inferior to metformin'

In a late-breaking oral presentation at the American Diabetes Association's 66th annual meeting held in Washington DC, US drug mjaor Merck & Co's Januvia (sitagliptin) was non-inferior to glipizide in significantly reducing blood sugar (glucose) levels at 52 weeks when added to the regimen of patients with type 2 diabetes who had inadequate control on metformin monotherapy.

The 52-week data were the primary time point analysis for this study, which continues for another year (through 104 weeks). The agent is Merck's investigational once-daily medicine that, if approved, would potentially be the first in a new class of oral dipeptidyl peptidase-4 [DPP-4] inhibitors.

Summarizing the findings, Peter Stein, senior director of Merck's clinical research, said: "Januiva demonstrated substantial glucose-lowering effects at one year with a magnitude of HbA1C reduction that was the same as that of glipizide. Additionally, it demonstrated weight loss and fewer episodes of hypoglycemia versus glipizide."