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Diabetes Notes

Federal Approval For New Type 2 Diabetic Medication Janumet

by Kendra James, RN on April 1st, 2007

januvia.jpgType 2 diabetics have something to celebrate. There is a 2 in 1 pill that was given federal approval this week. It is called Janumet. The medication is a combination of metformin and Januvia, 2 pills that are being taken separately by diabetics to help control their blood sugar.

Merck hopes the combination version will make it easier for those diabetics to control their blood sugar levels.

This comes only 5 months after the drug Januvia was approved by the federal drug administration. Januvia is the first of its type on the market.

JANUVIA is a once-daily pill that helps lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, along with diet and exercise. It’s a type of prescription diabetes medicine called a DPP-4 inhibitor (blocker). DPP-4 blockers enhance the body’s own ability to keep blood sugar levels balanced.

It is a no brainer for Merck and Co.. More than a third of all diabetic prescriptions are for metformin. Over 90% of patients with diabetes are type 2 diabetics. You do the math! And with each pill costing $3-$5, I venture to say Merck will make out just fine.

The medicine will help Merck compete for a bigger share of the $17 billion market for diabetes treatments, with Januvia and Janumet expected to have more than $2 billion in combined annual sales by 2010, analysts said

How will prescription plan providers cover the medication? Will Janumat become that “answer” for type 2 diabetics, or will it be just out of financial reach for most patients?

via Januvia

Bloomberg

Houston Chronicle

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POSTED IN: Diabetes Management, Research

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