Takeda has seen its second US approval this summer, following a thumbs up for its combined diabetes drug Actoplus Met (pioglitazone and metformin) from the Food and Drug Administration. In July it received marketing clearance for its insomnia therapy Rozerem (ramelteon) [[25/07/05a]].

Actoplus Met combines Eli Lilly and Takeda’s Actos (pioglitazone) with the generic sulfonylurea metformin, and is designed to combat diabetes via two mechanisms: by directly targeting insulin resistance and by reducing the amount of glucose produced by the liver. A spokesman for Takeda, Ralph DeFronzo, chief of the diabetes division at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, commented: “Within three years of being prescribed their first medication, approximately 50% of patients will need to add additional therapies to manage their condition.”

Actoplus Met combines the two medications in a single tablet, and the company is hoping this will aid treatment compliance amongst type 2 diabetics. According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes affects more than 18 million people, and type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease.

Takeda is expected to launch Actoplus Met in October.