New Study Data: JANUVIA™ (sitagliptin) Significantly Reduced Blood Sugar Levels and Was Not Associated with Hypoglycemia in Elderly Patients with Type 2...( New data pre...),Health

New data presented at the 61st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America showed JANUVIA™ (sitagliptin), a diabetes medicine from Merck & Co., Inc., significantly reduced blood sugar levels in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes and was not associated with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). In this study of 206 patients aged 65 to 96 years, there were no reports of hypoglycemia in either the JANUVIA or the placebo groups. Advanced age contributes to the risk of hypoglycemia.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (Business Wire EON) November 21, 2008 -- JANUVIA is indicated, as an adjunct to diet and exercise, to improve glycemic control in adult patients with type 2 diabetes. JANUVIA should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes or for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis. JANUVIA has not been studied in combination with insulin. JANUVIA is contraindicated in patients with a history of a serious hypersensitivity reaction to sitagliptin, such as anaphylaxis and angioedema. As is typical with other anti-hyperglycemic agents used in combination with a sulfonylurea, when JANUVIA is used in combination with a sulfonylurea, a class of medications known to cause hypoglycemia, the incidence of hypoglycemia was increased over that of placebo. Therefore, a lower dose of sulfonylurea may be required to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia.

"The elderly population presents challenges for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, as various factors can affect the ability to lower these patients' blood sugar to target levels," said lead study investigator Nir Barzilai, M.D., director of the Institute for Aging Research and Animal Physiology Core, Diabetes Research Training Center at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "In this study, JANUVIA effectively helped lower blood glucose levels and was not associated with hypoglycemia."

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