Approved by the FDA in October 2006, the diabetes drug by Merck - Januvia (sitagliptin) - is a prescription medicine being used as part of a treatment programme (including diet and exercise) to lower blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Januvia is administered either alone or as an adjunctive therapy with certain other drugs, such as metformin and thiazolidinediones.

Januvia is a DPP-4 inhibitor: it inhibits glucagon production (the enzyme that increases blood sugar), and stimulates insulin (the enzyme that decreases blood sugar).

Now, the FDA has approved new uses for Januvia:

• could also be used in combination with sulfonylurea and metformin, in cases when the two are not enough to control blood sugar
• could be used with metformin as an initial therapy

The above follow-up application of Januvia was supported by three studies on the safety and efficacy of Januvia.

Find more details from Medical News Today.