Going Japanese: innovative inhibitor reduces burden for diabetics
by Pharmacy Life - Published on 19 October 2015
Japan has become the first country in the world to approve Merck’s MARIZEV (omarigliptin), a once-weekly DPP-4 inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes.
While this is the first time that omariglitpin has been
registered in any country around the world, Marizev can’t claim to be the world’s
first weekly DPP-4 inhibitor, since that accolade goes to
Takeda, which gained approval for its Zafatek in March of this year. Marizev has gained approval on the back of global phase III trials involving 8000 patients, which showed that the drug was as effective at controlling blood glucose as daily DPP-4 inhibitors.
It’s intended that the new, once-weekly drugs will
reduce the burden for diabetics of taking daily pills and will also improve compliance.
Merck said it plans to submit omarigliptin for regulatory approval in the
United States by the end of 2015. Other worldwide regulatory submissions will follow. The trademark for omarigliptin in other countries has not yet been announced.