MSD diabetes drug has ‘strong launch’

A new diabetes pharmaceutical from Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD) has had a “strong launch” against its competitors, according to recent reports.

Januvia (sitagliptin phosphate) is a DPP-4 inhibitor used to treat type two diabetes, which has been approved in the US as both a monotherapy and conjunctive therapy for patients already being treated with metformin or thiazolidinediones.

The compound improves management of blood glucose levels in patients for who attempts to do so solely through diet and exercise are insufficient.

Strong sales of Januvia have been attributed by market research company ImpactRx to a strong promotional campaign from MSD, Reuters notes.

The news agency reported that Patrick Angelastrato, senior vice president of ImpactRx, said: “In situations where physicians are making a brand choice, it’s clear that Januiva is off to a strong start and [MSD] looks to be putting the promotional muscle behind it to make that happen.”

It added that the figures from ImpactRx were based on information from 130 endocrinologists 1,900 primary care physicians.

In October, MSD heralded the launch of Januvia as a demonstration of the company’s dedication to developing novel pharmaceuticals for the treatment of a number of diseases worldwide, including diabetes.