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June 2007 »

Merck's Januvia Advances Beta Cell Reactivity When Coupled With Metformin in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Conceiving the latest investigational study released at the American Diabetes Association, Januvia, a proven creation of Merck Co. Inc. (MRK), when combined with extensively applied diabetic preparation metformin, results notable improvement in the reactivity of beta cell in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes.

Approved for the treatment of type-2diabetes, Januvia has close association with a novel class of diabetes drugs called DPP-4 inhibitors. Recommended to be utilized as an add-on to diet and exercise, Januvia comes handy for the improvement of glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The drug can be consumed with or without food once a day. The recommended dose of the medicine is 100 mg.

Type 2 diabetes augments the rate of severe health complications, including blindness, heart disease, nerve and kidney damage. While in type 1 diabetes, it is insulin production which gets worse affected by the disease. .

Under this placebo-controlled investigational study conducted for 24 weeks, patients with type-2 diabetes were randomized in such a way that each patient at least obtain one of the six treatments comprising - Januvia 50 mg/metformin 1000 mg twice a day, Januvia 50 mg/metformin 500 mg twice a day, metformin 500 mg twice a day, metformin 1000 mg twice a day, and Januvia or placebo 100 mg once a day.

During this study, the intake of Januvia with metformin offered 49 percent rise in measured change in the responsiveness of static beta cell and a 114% boost in measured change in the reactivity of dynamic beta cell in the contrast of the metformin alone.

The study further discovered that Januvia and metformin, when applied in a blend in healthy adults, results a harmonizing impact on glucagon-like peptide-1 levels, a hormone which acts as an important controller of blood sugar levels. When applied in combination, Januvia and metformin amplifies the active concentration of glucagon-like peptide-1 levels, weighed against placebo.