Steglatro recommended for usage on UK's NHS in type 2 diabetes

The UK's National Institute of Care and Health Excellence (NICE) has issued a final appraisal determination (FAD) recommending Steglatro as a monotherapy in British adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) for whom metformin is contraindicated or not tolerated, or as part of a dual therapy with metformin.

This means that the sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor will be made routinely available in this indication within Britain's National Health Service.

Steglatro, from US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK), a company known as MSD outside North America, is a therapy that has demonstrated effective glycemic control and reductions in blood pressure and weight that are comparable to other SGLT-2 inhibitors, but it has a 20% lower acquisition cost than its competitors.