teaser
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the AstraZeneca/Bristol-Myers Squibb drug Onglyza (saxagliptin) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults.
It is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor that controls hormones which reduce blood-sugar levels. Known as incretins, they act by reducing glucose levels and increasing insulin production.
The drug can be taken independently of food, and the 2.5mg or 5mg dose can be taken daily on its own to reduce glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) levels, or combined with oral anti-diabetics such as metformin, sulfonylureas (SUs) and thiazolidinediones (TZDs).
AstraZeneca chief executive David Brennan said: “FSA approval means that physicians and adult patients have an important new treatment to help improve glycemic control.
“Onglyza is the product of a major collaboration between AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb to further understand how best to treat this challenging disease and help adult patients achieve their treatment goals.”
Copyright Press Association 2009
