Metforminside effects
24 HR metformin hydrochloride 500 MG / sitagliptin phosphate 50 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet [Janumet]
Adverse reactions
The following adverse reactions are also discussed elsewhere in the labeling: Lactic Acidosis Pancreatitis Heart Failure Acute Renal Failure Vitamin B 12 Deficiency Hypoglycemia with Concomitant Use with Insulin or Insulin Secretagogues Hypersensitivity Reactions Severe and Disabling Arthralgia Bullous Pemphigoid The most common adverse reactions reported in ≥5% of patients simultaneously started on sitagliptin and metformin and more commonly than in patients treated with placebo were diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection, and headache. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC at 1-877-888-4231 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
6.1 Clinical
Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Sitagliptin and Metformin Immediate-Release Coadministration in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Inadequately Controlled on Diet and Exercise Table 1 summarizes the most common (≥5% of patients) adverse reactions reported (regardless of investigator assessment of causality) in a 24-week placebo-controlled factorial study in which sitagliptin and metformin immediate-release were coadministered to patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on diet and exercise.
Table 1: Sitagliptin and Metformin Immediate-Release Coadministered to Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Inadequately Controlled on Diet and Exercise: Adverse Reactions Reported (Regardless of Investigator Assessment of Causality) in ≥5% of Patients Receiving Combination Therapy (and Greater than in Patients Receiving Placebo) Intent-to-treat population. Number of Patients (%) Placebo Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily Metformin HCl Immediate-Release 500 mg or 1000 mg twice daily Data pooled for the patients given the lower and higher doses of metformin. Sitagliptin 50 mg twice daily + Metformin HCl Immediate- Release 500 mg or 1000 mg twice daily N = 176 N = 179 N = 364 N = 372 Diarrhea 7 5 28 28 Upper Respiratory Tract Infection 9 8 19 23 Headache 5 2 14 22 Sitagliptin Add-on Therapy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Inadequately Controlled on Metformin Immediate-Release Alone In a 24-week placebo-controlled trial of sitagliptin 100 mg administered once daily added to a twice daily metformin immediate-release regimen, there were no adverse reactions reported regardless of investigator assessment of causality in ≥5% of patients and more commonly than in patients given placebo. Discontinuation of therapy due to clinical adverse reactions was similar to the placebo treatment group (sitagliptin and metformin immediate-release, 1.9%; placebo and metformin immediate-release, 2.5%). Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions The incidences of pre-selected gastrointestinal adverse experiences in patients treated with sitagliptin and metformin immediate-release were similar to those reported for patients treated with metformin immediate-release alone. See Table 2.
Table 2: Pre-selected Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions (Regardless of Investigator Assessment of Causality) Reported in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Receiving Sitagliptin and Metformin Immediate-Release Number of Patients (%) Study of Sitagliptin and Metformin Immediate-Release in Patients Inadequately Controlled on Diet and Exercise Study of Sitagliptin Add-on in Patients Inadequately Controlled on Metformin Immediate-Release Alone Placebo Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily Metformin HCl Immediate-Release 500 mg or 1000 mg twice daily Data pooled for the patients given the lower and higher doses of metformin. Sitagliptin 50 mg bid + Metformin HCl Immediate- Release 500 mg or 1000 mg twice daily Placebo and Metformin HCL Immediate- Release ≥1500 mg daily Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily and Metformin HCl Immediate- Release ≥1500 mg daily N = 176 N = 179 N = 364 N = 372 N = 237 N = 464 Diarrhea 7 5 28 28 6 11 Nausea 2 2 20 18 2 6 Vomiting 1 0 2 8 2 5 Abdominal Pain Abdominal discomfort was included in the analysis of abdominal pain in the study of initial therapy. 4 6 14 11 9 10 Sitagliptin in Combination with Metformin Immediate-Release and Glimepiride In a 24-week placebo-controlled study of sitagliptin 100 mg as add-on therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on metformin immediate-release and glimepiride (sitagliptin, N=116; placebo, N=113), the adverse reactions reported regardless of investigator assessment of causality in ≥5% of patients treated with sitagliptin and more commonly than in patients treated with placebo were: hypoglycemia ( Table 3 ) and headache (6.9%, 2.7%). Sitagliptin in Combination with Metformin Immediate-Release and Rosiglitazone In a placebo-controlled study of sitagliptin 100 mg as add-on therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on metformin immediate-release and rosiglitazone (sitagliptin, N=181; placebo, N=97), the adverse reactions reported regardless of investigator assessment of causality through Week 18 in ≥5% of patients treated with sitagliptin and more commonly than in patients treated with placebo were: upper respiratory tract infection (sitagliptin, 5.5%; placebo, 5.2%) and nasopharyngitis (6.1%, 4.1%). Through Week 54, the adverse reactions reported regardless of investigator assessment of causality in ≥5% of patients treated with sitagliptin and more commonly than in patients treated with placebo were: upper respiratory tract infection (sitagliptin, 15.5%; placebo, 6.2%), nasopharyngitis (11.0%, 9.3%), peripheral edema (8.3%, 5.2%), and headache (5.5%, 4.1%). Sitagliptin in Combination with Metformin Immediate-Release and Insulin In a 24-week placebo-controlled study of sitagliptin 100 mg as add-on therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on metformin immediate-release and insulin (sitagliptin, N=229; placebo, N=233), the only adverse reaction reported regardless of investigator assessment of causality in ≥5% of patients treated with sitagliptin and more commonly than in patients treated with placebo was hypoglycemia ( Table 3 ). Hypoglycemia In the above studies (N=5), adverse reactions of hypoglycemia were based on all reports of symptomatic hypoglycemia; a concurrent glucose measurement was not required although most (77%) reports of hypoglycemia were accompanied by a blood glucose measurement ≤70 mg/dL. When the combination of sitagliptin and metformin immediate-release was coadministered with a sulfonylurea or with insulin, the percentage of patients reporting at least one adverse reaction of hypoglycemia was higher than that observed with placebo and metformin immediate-release coadministered with a sulfonylurea or with insulin ( Table 3 ).
Table 3: Incidence and Rate of Hypoglycemia Adverse reactions of hypoglycemia were based on all reports of symptomatic hypoglycemia; a concurrent glucose measurement was not required: Intent-to-treat population. (Regardless of Investigator Assessment of Causality) in Placebo-Controlled Clinical Studies of Sitagliptin in Combination with Metformin Immediate-Release Coadministered with Glimepiride or Insulin Add-On to Glimepiride + Metformin Immediate-Release (24 weeks) Sitagliptin 100 mg + Metformin Immediate-Release + Glimepiride Placebo + Metformin Immediate-Release + Glimepiride N = 116 N = 113 Overall (%) 19 1 Rate (episodes/patient-year) Based on total number of events (i.e., a single patient may have had multiple events). 0.82
0.02 Severe (%)
Severe events of hypoglycemia were defined as those events requiring medical assistance or exhibiting depressed level/loss of consciousness or seizure. 0 0 Add-On to Insulin + Metformin Immediate-Release (24 weeks) Sitagliptin 100 mg + Metformin Immediate-Release + Insulin Placebo + Metformin Immediate-Release + Insulin N = 229 N = 233 Overall (%) 35 19 Rate (episodes/patient-year) 0.98
0.61 Severe (%) 1 1
The overall incidence of reported adverse reactions of hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on diet and exercise was 0.6% in patients given placebo, 0.6% in patients given sitagliptin alone, 0.8% in patients given metformin immediate-release alone, and 1.6% in patients given sitagliptin in combination with metformin immediate-release. In patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on metformin immediate-release alone, the overall incidence of adverse reactions of hypoglycemia was 1.3% in patients given add-on sitagliptin and 2.1% in patients given add-on placebo. In the study of sitagliptin and add-on combination therapy with metformin immediate-release and rosiglitazone, the overall incidence of hypoglycemia was 2.2% in patients given add-on sitagliptin and 0.0% in patients given add-on placebo through Week 18. Through Week 54, the overall incidence of hypoglycemia was 3.9% in patients given add-on sitagliptin and 1.0% in patients given add-on placebo. In an additional 30-week placebo-controlled study of patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin comparing the maintenance of sitagliptin 100 mg versus withdrawal of sitagliptin when initiating basal insulin therapy, the event rate and incidence of documented symptomatic hypoglycemia (blood glucose measurement ≤70 mg/dL) did not differ between the sitagliptin and placebo groups. Vital Signs and Electrocardiograms With the combination of sitagliptin and metformin immediate-release, no clinically meaningful changes in vital signs or in electrocardiogram parameters (including the QTc interval) were observed. Pancreatitis In a pooled analysis of 19 double-blind clinical trials that included data from 10,246 patients randomized to receive sitagliptin 100 mg/day (N=5429) or corresponding (active or placebo) control (N=4817), the incidence of acute pancreatitis was 0.1 per 100 patient-years in each group (4 patients with an event in 4708 patient-years for sitagliptin and 4 patients with an event in 3942 patient-years for control). Sitagliptin The most common adverse experience in sitagliptin monotherapy reported regardless of investigator assessment of causality in ≥5% of patients and more commonly than in patients given placebo was nasopharyngitis. Metformin Extended-Release In a 24-week clinical trial in which extended-release metformin or placebo was added to glyburide therapy, the most common (>5% and greater than placebo) adverse reactions in the combined treatment group were hypoglycemia (13.7% vs. 4.9%), diarrhea (12.5% vs. 5.6%), and nausea (6.7% vs. 4.2%). Laboratory Tests Sitagliptin The incidence of laboratory adverse reactions was similar in patients treated with sitagliptin and metformin immediate-release (7.6%) compared to patients treated with placebo and metformin (8.7%). In most but not all studies, a small increase in white blood cell count (approximately 200 cells/microL difference in WBC vs. placebo; mean baseline WBC approximately 6600 cells/microL) was observed due to a small increase in neutrophils. This change in laboratory parameters is not considered to be clinically relevant. Metformin In controlled clinical trials of metformin of 29 weeks duration, a decrease to subnormal levels of previously normal serum vitamin B 12 levels, without clinical manifestations, was observed in approximately 7% of patients. Such decrease, possibly due to interference with B 12 absorption from the B 12 -intrinsic factor complex, is, however, very rarely associated with anemia and appears to be rapidly reversible with discontinuation of metformin or vitamin B 12 supplementation.
6.2 Postmarketing
Experience Additional adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of sitagliptin with metformin, sitagliptin, or metformin. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is generally not possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis, angioedema, rash, urticaria, cutaneous vasculitis, and exfoliative skin conditions including Stevens-Johnson syndrome; upper respiratory tract infection; hepatic enzyme elevations; acute pancreatitis, including fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis; worsening renal function, including acute renal failure (sometimes requiring dialysis) and tubulointerstitial nephritis; severe and disabling arthralgia; bullous pemphigoid; constipation; vomiting; headache; myalgia; pain in extremity; back pain; pruritus; mouth ulceration; stomatitis; cholestatic, hepatocellular, and mixed hepatocellular liver injury; rhabdomyolysis.
Text above is quoted in full from the FDA-approved drug label published by openFDA, effective August 11, 2026. Matched to this product by RxNorm code. Cross-references to other sections of the full prescribing information have been removed, since they point to a document not shown here. Nothing else is changed: no sentence is shortened, reworded or summarised.
Contraindications
JANUMET XR is contraindicated in patients with: Severe renal impairment (eGFR below 30 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ). Acute or chronic metabolic acidosis, including diabetic ketoacidosis. History of a serious hypersensitivity reaction to JANUMET XR, sitagliptin, or metformin such as anaphylaxis or angioedema.
Severe renal impairment: eGFR below 30 mL/min/1.73 m 2. Metabolic acidosis, including diabetic ketoacidosis. History of a serious hypersensitivity reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis or angioedema) to JANUMET XR, sitagliptin, or metformin.
Text above is quoted in full from the FDA-approved drug label published by openFDA, effective August 11, 2026. Matched to this product by RxNorm code. Cross-references to other sections of the full prescribing information have been removed, since they point to a document not shown here. Nothing else is changed: no sentence is shortened, reworded or summarised.
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