Sitagliptin
JanuviaPubChem CID 4369359 · 3D model
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Blocks an enzyme called DPP-4 so the body's own blood-sugar-lowering hormones stay active longer after meals.
How it works
After you eat, your gut releases hormones that tell your pancreas to make insulin and stop making excess sugar-raising hormone. Normally an enzyme called DPP-4 quickly breaks these helper hormones down. Sitagliptin blocks that enzyme, so the helper hormones stick around longer and keep doing their job, but only when your blood sugar is actually elevated. That's why it's less likely to cause dangerously low blood sugar than some older diabetes drugs.
What it’s used for
Used alongside a healthy diet and exercise to help adults with type 2 diabetes keep their blood sugar in a better range. It is not meant for type 1 diabetes or for treating a diabetic emergency.
- Mechanism
- DPP-4 inhibitor
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Metabolic / Diabetes