Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly launch Jentadueto in UK

Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly have introduced their EU-approved type 2 diabetes therapy Jentadueto in the UK this week.

The new product combines metformin and the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitor Trajenta into a single pill, thus simplifying treatment regimens for patients and potentially improving compliance.

British GP Dr Richard Brice, chair of Whitstable Medical Practice, noted: "Compliance is a recurring problem for patients, especially those with comorbidities such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia, cardiovascular disease and depression, struggling to take a number of tablets every day."

Jentadueto was ratified for sale by the European Commission in July 2012 after proving in phase III trials that it is able to deliver benefits in terms of improved glycaemic control, when taken in conjunction with changes to diet and exercise.

The drug is launching at a time when the prevalence of diabetes is rising rapidly in the UK, with more than 5.5 million people expected to have the condition by 2030.

Last month, the companies also received a recommendation from Europe's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use for the approval of Trajenta as an add-on therapy to insulin among adults with type 2 diabetes.