(Click Januvia Uses for more information on what Januvia is used for, including possible off-label uses of the medication.)
Januvia is made by Merck & Co, Inc.
Januvia is part of a class of
diabetes medication called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. DPP-4 is an enzyme that breaks down incretin hormones. As a DPP-4 inhibitor, Januvia slows down the breakdown of incretin hormones, increasing the level of these hormones in the body. It is this increase in incretin hormones that is responsible for the beneficial actions of Januvia, including increasing insulin production in response to meals and decreasing the amount of glucose (sugar) that the liver produces.
Because incretin hormones are more active in response to higher blood sugar levels (and are less active in response to low blood sugar), the risk of dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is low with Januvia.
There have been several studies conducted on the effects of using Januvia to treat type 2 diabetes.