Sitagliptin Add-On Helps Lower HbA1c

SEATTLE — Sitagliptin can be safely added to other oral diabetes medications, producing a drop in hemoglobin A_1c levels that averages about 0.7%, according to a report at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

In one trial, when 100 mg/day sitagliptin (Januvia) was added to metformin treatment (1,500 mg or greater per day) for 24 weeks, patients with type 2 diabetes had a mean reduction in HbA_1c of 0.65% from a baseline mean of 8.0%.

In another trial, when sitagliptin was added to pioglitazone treatment, at a dose of 30 mg or greater per day, patients had a mean reduction in HbA_1c of 0.7%, from a baseline HbA_1c of 8.1%, Dr. Peter Stein senior director in clinical research at Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, N.J., said in the poster presentation.

Placebo controls in the studies had no decline in mean HbA_1c in the group that was also on metformin, and a decline of about 0.1% in the group that was also on pioglitazone.

Of the patients in the study who were also on metformin, 18% of the patients who took sitagliptin achieved an HbA_1c level below 6.5%, as did 25% of those also on pioglitazone.

In the controls, only about 5% achieved an HbA_1c that low. The studies were funded by Merck & Co.

SEATTLE — Sitagliptin can be safely added to other oral diabetes medications, producing a drop in hemoglobin A_1c levels that averages about 0.7%, according to a report at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

In one trial, when 100 mg/day sitagliptin (Januvia) was added to metformin treatment (1,500 mg or greater per day) for 24 weeks, patients with type 2 diabetes had a mean reduction in HbA_1c of 0.65% from a baseline mean of 8.0%.

In another trial, when sitagliptin was added to pioglitazone treatment, at a dose of 30 mg or greater per day, patients had a mean reduction in HbA_1c of 0.7%, from a baseline HbA_1c of 8.1%, Dr. Peter Stein senior director in clinical research at Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, N.J., said in the poster presentation.

Placebo controls in the studies had no decline in mean HbA_1c in the group that was also on metformin, and a decline of about 0.1% in the group that was also on pioglitazone.

Of the patients in the study who were also on metformin, 18% of the patients who took sitagliptin achieved an HbA_1c level below 6.5%, as did 25% of those also on pioglitazone.

In the controls, only about 5% achieved an HbA_1c that low. The studies were funded by Merck & Co.

SEATTLE — Sitagliptin can be safely added to other oral diabetes medications, producing a drop in hemoglobin A_1c levels that averages about 0.7%, according to a report at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

In one trial, when 100 mg/day sitagliptin (Januvia) was added to metformin treatment (1,500 mg or greater per day) for 24 weeks, patients with type 2 diabetes had a mean reduction in HbA_1c of 0.65% from a baseline mean of 8.0%.

In another trial, when sitagliptin was added to pioglitazone treatment, at a dose of 30 mg or greater per day, patients had a mean reduction in HbA_1c of 0.7%, from a baseline HbA_1c of 8.1%, Dr. Peter Stein senior director in clinical research at Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, N.J., said in the poster presentation.

Placebo controls in the studies had no decline in mean HbA_1c in the group that was also on metformin, and a decline of about 0.1% in the group that was also on pioglitazone.

Of the patients in the study who were also on metformin, 18% of the patients who took sitagliptin achieved an HbA_1c level below 6.5%, as did 25% of those also on pioglitazone.

In the controls, only about 5% achieved an HbA_1c that low. The studies were funded by Merck & Co.