Merck KGaA Glucophage gets boost from EMEA

Merck KGaA's oral Glucophage (metformin) has been recognized by theEuropean Medicines Evaluation Agency and the European Commission as the first front-line therapy which reduces the risk of fatal and non-fatal complications in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes after diet and exercise failure. This follows the UK Prospective Diabetes Study which showed Glucophage significantly reduced the risk of any diabetes-related complication in intensively diet-treated overweight patients.

Leading European diabetologist Ian Campbell commented: "there is something inherently different in this drug from the other medications which tackles vascular problems." Dr Campbell also said that "we would expect every 1% fall in glycated hemoglobin to reduce heart attacks by 14%. Metformin lowered glycated hemoglobin by 0.6%, yet heart attacks were reduced by 39%."