28 February 2008
World’s First Approved DPP-4 Inhibitor for Type 2 Diabetes Now Available In New Zealand
New Zealanders with Type 2 diabetes now have access to a new medicine which is significantly less likely to cause weight
gain or dangerously low blood sugar; thanks to Merck Sharp & Dohme New Zealand's (MSDNZ) once-daily tablet, JANUVIA® (sitagliptin, MSD), which was approved for use in New Zealand
today.
Whilst there have been no new oral medications for New Zealanders with Type 2 diabetes since 2002, an injectable
incretin mimetic was registered in 2007. JANUVIA is expected to be available to purchase on prescription from March.
JANUVIA is the first in a new class of drugs known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors which enhance the body’s
own ability to lower blood sugar (glucose) when it is elevated. This unique way of working is different from any other
Type 2 diabetes treatments available in New Zealand.
Professor Russell Scott, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, says, “DPP-4 inhibitors are an important
breakthrough. Approximately two out of three adults being treated for diabetes are not achieving target blood sugar
levels, suggesting that current therapies have significant limitations.
"JANUVIA is an exciting new medicine that effectively lowers blood sugar levels with fewer of the unwanted side effects
often associated with existing therapies, such as weight gain and abnormally low blood sugar. This lack of side effects
and the fact it only needs to be taken once daily, means people are more likely to stay on their medication and keep
within their target blood sugar range."
Managing Director of MSDNZ, Alister Brown, says "JANUVIA is an important new advance in diabetes therapy and as a
company we are committed to developing world class products that will support the work already underway in New Zealand,
and around the world, to help prevent and manage this serious epidemic. There are approximately 214,000 New Zealanders
currently affected by Type 2 diabetes and this is likely to grow to over 385,000 in the next 15 years.
"People with diabetes can develop heart disease, kidney disease, blindness and arterial problems resulting in limb
amputation, and increase mortality. This costs the New Zealand health system upwards of $540 million every year and this
figure continues to increase."
President of Diabetes New Zealand, Mike Smith, says "While the Government has made diabetes a health priority, there
have been no new medications or technologies for improving diabetes control for a long time, which is frustrating for
the many thousands of New Zealanders who are not able to achieve their glucose targets.
"An increased investment by the Government early in the diabetes treatment process has the potential to significantly
reduce the long term costs of diabetes, while also improving the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders. If left
unchecked the cost of Type 2 diabetes is projected to triple by 2021 to more than $1.78 billion – a figure equivalent to
15 percent of New Zealand's healthcare spending."
JANUVIA is now available in 60 countries and is comparable in cost to other modern, once daily diabetes medicines which
are currently funded in New Zealand. MSDNZ is entering into negotiations with PHARMAC about funding JANUVIA for patients
who could most benefit.
New Zealand contributed to the global clinical trials for JANUVIA which were undertaken in Europe, Asia Pacific and the
Americas. The trials were conducted over the past five years with 146 New Zealand patients from five regions taking
part.
ENDS
About JANUVIA
JANUVIA is Merck Sharp & Dohme’s oral, once-daily dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In controlled
clinical development studies JANUVIA was not associated with weight gain from baseline, and the incidence of
hypoglycaemia (when blood sugar becomes too low) was similar to placebo.
JANUVIA is a potent and highly selective DPP-4 inhibitor. DPP-4 inhibitors work by enhancing a natural body process that
lowers blood sugar, the incretin system. When blood sugar is elevated, incretins work in two ways to help the body
regulate high blood sugar levels: they trigger the pancreas to increase the release of insulin and signal the liver to
stop producing glucose. DPP-4 inhibitors enhance the body’s own ability to control blood sugar levels by increasing the
active levels of these incretin hormones in the body, helping to decrease blood sugar levels in patients with type 2
diabetes.
About Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body has elevated blood sugar or glucose. With Type 2 diabetes, the body may
not make enough insulin (which helps the body use glucose), and the insulin that the body produces may not work as well
as it should.
Patients with diabetes can develop heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, vascular or neurological problems that can
lead to amputation, and they can suffer increased mortality.
Diabetes is one of the most significant diseases affecting the modern age. Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death
globally. Currently, more than 194 million people worldwide have diabetes. If nothing is done to slow the epidemic, the
number will exceed 333 million by 2025.
About Merck
Merck & Co., Inc., which operates in many countries as Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in
1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines in more than 20 therapeutic categories.
The company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate
Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a
not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com.
Recognising the toll that the diabetes epidemic is taking globally, Merck & Co., Inc has committed its research efforts toward diabetes as one of the nine major therapeutic areas of focus to help
bring hope to patients and stop this growing pandemic.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties,
which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may
include statements regarding product development, product potential or financial performance. No forward-looking
statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck undertakes no
obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or
otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties
that affect Merck's business, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements in Item 1 of Merck's Form 10-K
for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005, and in its periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates
by reference.