MSD K.K. (Head office: Tokyo; President: Tony Alvarez) and Astellas Pharma Inc. (Head office: Tokyo; President: Yoshihiko Hatanaka) signed a memorandum of understanding regarding co-development and co-commercialization of combination product of JANUVIA® (generic name: sitagliptin phosphate hydrate), MSD’s selective DPP-4 inhibitor and Suglat® (generic name: ipragliflozin L-proline), Astellas’ selective SGLT2 inhibitor marketed in Japan.
JANUVIA®, Japan’s first once-daily DPP-4 inhibitor, selectively inhibits DPP-4 and increases the active incretin level, demonstrating glucose-dependent effect to lower blood sugar levels. Suglat®, Japan’s first once-daily SGLT2 inhibitor, selectively inhibits SGLT2 and reduces blood glucose levels by inhibiting the reuptake of glucose.
Through this memorandum of understanding, MSD and Astellas will further contribute to diabetes treatment, offering a new option for the treatment of type 2 diabetes where controlling blood sugar levels with a single-agent therapy is often a challenge.
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