MK 3103 (Merck Inc.) success in Phase IIb study for Type 2 Diabetes - 05-Oct-2012

Merck Inc., has announced Phase IIb data for MK-3102, the company's investigational once-weekly DPP-4 inhibitor in development for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes. MK-3102 significantly lowered blood sugar in this 12-week study compared with placebo, with an incidence of symptomatic hypoglycemia that was similar to placebo, in patients with Type 2 Diabetes. The Phase IIb study is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dose-ranging study of 685 patients designed to evaluate five doses of MK-3102 (0.25, 1, 3, 10 and 25 mg) in patients with Type 2 Diabetes who had inadequate glycemic control on diet and exercise. MK-3102 significantly reduced HbA1c compared to placebo (p<0.001) from a mean baseline of approximately 8 percent across all doses. In the full study population at 12 weeks, the placebo-adjusted reduction from baseline in HbA1c was 0.71 percent with MK-3102 25 mg; 0.67 percent with 10 mg; 0.49 percent with 3 mg; 0.50 percent with 1 mg; and 0.28 percent with 0.25 mg.