DPP-IV inhibitors use in newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients

Through analysis of US longitudinal patient-level claims data, dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP-IV) inhibitors claim the largest share among branded oral therapies of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients across all three lines of therapy.

DPP-IV inhibitors include Merck & Co’s (NYSE: MRK) Januvia (sitagliptin), Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) and AstraZeneca’s (LSE: AZN) Onglyza (saxagliptin) and Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly’s (NYSE: LLY) Tradjenta (linagliptin), notes a new report form health care advisory firm Decision Resources.

According to the DR report, titled Treatment Algorithms in Type 2 Diabetes, metformin and sulfonylureas continue to dominate first-line therapy use, while long-acting insulins are also more heavily used as a first-line therapy than the DPP-IV inhibitors, despite ADA/EASD guidelines recommending oral antidiabetic therapy prior to insulin administration.

The report also examines recently treated type 2 diabetes patients. This group represents patients treated in the first quarter of 2013 and reviews retrospective analysis of the preceding two years of therapy.