New Diabetes Drug Combo, Duetactâ„¢: Combines Pioglitazone and Glimepiride

Filed in archive Treatment on August 20, 2006

The new diabetes drug combo recently approved by the USFDA called Duetact™ is a combination of two common diabetes drugs - pioglitazone (sold as Actos®) and glimepiride (sold as Amaryl®) - into a once-daily pill.

Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, the maker of Duetactâ„¢, plans to make the drug available by prescription later this year, which is to be taken orally once daily with the first main meal of the day.

Duetactâ„¢ (pdf file) will come in three different strengths, each with different proportions of pioglitazone and glimepiride.

The two active ingredients (pioglitazone and glimepiride) both lower blood sugar but works diffrently.

Pioglitazone targets insulin resistance while glimepiride boosts the pancreas' insulin production.

Read more at WebMD.