Bajaj_2021_J.Assoc.Physicians.India_69_25

Achieving adequate glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains a difficult but achievable goal. Oral agents (OADs) are important option for management of T2DM. Most T2DM patients require more than one medication for adequate glycemic control. Metformin based combination therapy is recommended when monotherapy is insufficient. Evogliptin is a recently developed dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, which can to be combined with metformin for treating T2DM. Combination therapy of Evogliptin and Metformin lowers blood glucose via augmentation of insulin secretion, suppression of glucagon secretion, and insulin sensitization. Co-administration of Evogliptin and Metformin showed no clinically relevant pharmacokinetic differences compared to the administration of each drug alone. Combination therapy of Evogliptin and Metformin also provides significantly better glycemic control compared to the respective monotherapies. Efficacy and safety of Evogliptin and Metformin had been demonstrated in several multicentre randomized clinical trials conducted in various countries like South Korea, Russia and India. Consequently, fixed dose combination (FDC) of Evogliptin and Metformin is approved in South Korea and India. Complexity of the treatment regimen and polypharmacy are well-known factors of poor medication adherence and FDCs have the potential to improve adherence by reducing the pill burden. Adoption of this combination therapy in clinical practice for management of T2DMs will provide a greater degree of HbA1c reduction than that observed with the use of either drug as monotherapy, and is unlikely to cause significant hypoglycemia. Combination therapy of Evogliptin and Metformin is a promising strategy in the treatment of T2DM.