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Pioglitazone/Metformin

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Abstract

  • ▴ A fixed-dose pioglitazone/metformin tablet is approved in the US and the EU for the treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who currently have inadequate glycaemic control with metformin monotherapy. In the US, the combination tablet is also approved for the treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes who currently have inadequate glycaemic control with pioglitazone monotherapy and for those already receiving a combination of pioglitazone and metformin.

  • ▴ Bioequivalence, based on absorption and bioavailability parameters, has been established between the fixed-dose tablets and equivalent doses of pioglitazone and metformin coadministered as separate agents.

  • ▴ Combination therapy with pioglitazone plus metformin was significantly more effective at improving both glycaemic and lipid control than metformin plus placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes in a 16-week, well designed trial.

  • ▴ Pioglitazone plus metformin demonstrated similar antihyperglycaemic efficacy to that of rosiglitazone plus metformin in a well designed 12-month trial; however, pioglitazone plus metformin was the superior combination in terms of lipid control.

  • ▴ In several comparative trials of 1–3.5 years’ duration, pioglitazone plus metformin was at least as effective as combination therapy with a sulphonylurea plus metformin in terms of antihyperglycaemic efficacy, but provided superior lipidaemic control with regard to levels of triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol.

  • ▴ Pioglitazone plus metformin was generally well tolerated in patients with type 2 diabetes, with adverse events common to metformin monotherapy observed at a similar incidence to that with metformin plus placebo.

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Notes

  1. The use of trade names is for product identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wolters Kluwer Health ¦ Adis, 41 Centorian Drive, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, New Zealand

    Emma D. Deeks & Lesley J. Scott

  2. Wolters Kluwer Health, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA

    Emma D. Deeks & Lesley J. Scott

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  1. Emma D. Deeks
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  2. Lesley J. Scott
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Correspondence to Emma D. Deeks.

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Deeks, E.D., Scott, L.J. Pioglitazone/Metformin. Drugs 66, 1863–1877 (2006). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200666140-00007

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