If it seems there is another new drug given FDA approval for treatment of type 2 diabetes every week, you are not imaging things. Last week, once-a-week injection formula BYDUREON was approved.
This week the FDA approved another once-daily pill to help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels. The new drug is a combination of sitagliptin and metformin and MERCK is marketing it under the brand name Janumet XR®, the XR is for extended release. (Published site)
The drug was approved, according to a report in MedPage Today, based on a clinical study that compared the blood sugar control of those taking the combination pill to groups taking each of the drugs alone. The results showed the combination treatment helped people attain their A1c goal better than either of the drugs alone
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If you are already taking metformin, and you want to take Janumet XR, your doctor will determine which dosage may be right for you. It comes in three dosages, 100 mg of sitagliptin/1000 mg metformin for those who are not currently taking metformin; 50 mg sitagliptin/500 mg meformin for those currently taking metformin in a dose of less than 850 mg twice daily. The 50 mg sitagliptin/1000 mg metformin is recommended for those patients who are already taking 850 mg of metformin twice daily.
Janumet joins a long list of once-daily combination oral medications that have been approved for type 2 diabetes. Each has slightly different approaches to controlling blood sugar levels, each has side effects. Janumet XR carries a warning for lactic acidosis, which is a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles, and is more likely to occur in people who already have impaired kidney function or chronic metabolic acidosis.
Other common side effects noted on the medication guide for JANUMET include stuffy or runny nose and sore throat, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, gas, upset stomach, indigestion, weakness, and headache.
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