MERCK APPLIES FOR APPROVAL OF MK-0431A FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES

Merck announced that its new drug application for MK-0431A, the company's investigational oral medicine combining Januvia (sitagliptin phosphate) and metformin for Type 2 diabetes, has been accepted for review by the FDA.

MK-0431A is an investigational treatment for Type 2 diabetes that combines Januvia, an investigational DPP-4 inhibitor, with metformin, a widely prescribed medication for Type 2 diabetes, into a single tablet. MK-0431A is designed to provide an important treatment option for patients who need two or more oral agents to help control their blood sugar.

The mechanism of action of DPP-4 inhibitors is distinct from that of metformin and all other drugs in the currently available classes of glucose-lowering agents. DPP-4 inhibitors work by enhancing the body's own ability to lower blood sugar when it is elevated.