New Diabetes Type II Drug

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=76963

Januvia, a DPP-4 inhibitor that helps the body control high blood sugar, was just approved by the FDA as a Type II Diabetes drug. Januvia will be taken daily and can be taken in conjunction with other oral diabetes drugs, such as metformin, Avandia, or Actos, when these drugs do not adequately control blood sugar. The FDA says that even though there are already other type II diabetes drugs on the market, it will be good to have another option for patients, as about 21 million people in the US have diabetes. Also, it is nice to have another alternative since not all patients respond to the same medications and not everyone can even tolerate each medication.

The problem in type II diabetes is that the body does not produce enough insulin, which results in uncontrolled high blood sugar and can lead to serious problems like blindness, heart disease, nerve damage, and kidney damage over time. What Januvia does is keep the proteins releasing insulin for a longer time, which it does by blocking the DPP-IV enzyme, which breaks down these proteins. Studies done on Januvia, lasting from 12 weeks to more than a year, and done on over 2,700 people with type II diabetes, have proven that improved blood sugar control results. More studies will be done on using Januvia in conjunction with insulin and other diabetic medications.