Source: European Medicines Agency (EU) Revision Year: 2021 Publisher: Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V., Waarderweg 39, 2031 BN Haarlem, The Netherlands
Pharmacotherapeutic group: Drugs used in diabetes, Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors
ATC code: A10BH01
Tesavel is a member of a class of oral anti-hyperglycaemic agents called dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. The improvement in glycaemic control observed with this medicinal product may be mediated by enhancing the levels of active incretin hormones. Incretin hormones, including glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), are released by the intestine throughout the day, and levels are increased in response to a meal. The incretins are part of an endogenous system involved in the physiologic regulation of glucose homeostasis. When blood glucose concentrations are normal or elevated, GLP-1 and GIP increase insulin synthesis and release from pancreatic beta cells by intracellular signaling pathways involving cyclic AMP. Treatment with GLP-1 or with DPP-4 inhibitors in animal models of type 2 diabetes has been demonstrated to improve beta cell responsiveness to glucose and stimulate insulin biosynthesis and release. With higher insulin levels, tissue glucose uptake is enhanced. In addition, GLP-1 lowers glucagon secretion from pancreatic alpha cells. Decreased glucagon concentrations, along with higher insulin levels, lead to reduced hepatic glucose production, resulting in a decrease in blood glucose levels. The effects of GLP-1 and GIP are glucose-dependent such that when blood glucose concentrations are low, stimulation of insulin release and suppression of glucagon secretion by GLP-1 are not observed. For both GLP-1 and GIP, stimulation of insulin release is enhanced as glucose rises above normal concentrations. Further, GLP-1 does not impair the normal glucagon response to hypoglycaemia. The activity of GLP-1 and GIP is limited by the DPP-4 enzyme, which rapidly hydrolyzes the incretin hormones to produce inactive products. Sitagliptin prevents the hydrolysis of incretin hormones by DPP-4, thereby increasing plasma concentrations of the active forms of GLP-1 and GIP. By enhancing active incretin levels, sitagliptin increases insulin release and decreases glucagon levels in a glucose-dependent manner. In patients with type 2 diabetes with hyperglycaemia, these changes in insulin and glucagon levels lead to lower haemoglobin A1c (%HbA1c) and lower fasting and postprandial glucose concentrations. The glucose-dependent mechanism of sitagliptin is distinct from the mechanism of sulphonylureas, which increase insulin secretion even when glucose levels are low and can lead to hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes and in normal subjects. Sitagliptin is a potent and highly selective inhibitor of the enzyme DPP-4 and does not inhibit the closely-related enzymes DPP-8 or DPP-9 at therapeutic concentrations.
In a two-day study in healthy subjects, sitagliptin alone increased active GLP-1 concentrations, whereas metformin alone increased active and total GLP-1 concentrations to similar extents. Co-administration of sitagliptin and metformin had an additive effect on active GLP-1 concentrations. Sitagliptin, but not metformin, increased active GIP concentrations.
Overall, sitagliptin improved glycaemic control when used as monotherapy or in combination treatment in adult patients with type 2 diabetes (see Table 2).
Two studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sitagliptin monotherapy. Treatment with sitagliptin at 100 mg once daily as monotherapy provided significant improvements in %HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and 2-hour post-prandial glucose (2-hour PPG), compared to placebo in two studies, one of 18- and one of 24-weeks duration. Improvement of surrogate markers of beta cell function, including HOMA-β (Homeostasis Model Assessment-β), proinsulin to insulin ratio, and measures of beta cell responsiveness from the frequently-sampled meal tolerance test were observed. The observed incidence of hypoglycaemia in patients treated with sitagliptin was similar to placebo. Body weight did not increase from baseline with sitagliptin therapy in either study, compared to a small reduction in patients given placebo.
Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily provided significant improvements in glycaemic parameters compared with placebo in two 24-week studies of sitagliptin as add-on therapy, one in combination with metformin and one in combination with pioglitazone. Change from baseline in body weight was similar for patients treated with sitagliptin relative to placebo. In these studies there was a similar incidence of hypoglycaemia reported for patients treated with sitagliptin or placebo.
A 24-week placebo-controlled study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sitagliptin (100 mg once daily) added to glimepiride alone or glimepiride in combination with metformin. The addition of sitagliptin to either glimepiride alone or to glimepiride and metformin provided significant improvements in glycaemic parameters. Patients treated with sitagliptin had a modest increase in body weight compared to those given placebo.
A 26-week placebo-controlled study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sitagliptin (100 mg once daily) added to the combination of pioglitazone and metformin. The addition of sitagliptin to pioglitazone and metformin provided significant improvements in glycaemic parameters. Change from baseline in body weight was similar for patients treated with sitagliptin relative to placebo. The incidence of hypoglycaemia was also similar in patients treated with sitagliptin or placebo.
A 24-week placebo-controlled study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sitagliptin (100 mg once daily) added to insulin (at a stable dose for at least 10 weeks) with or without metformin (at least 1,500 mg). In patients taking pre-mixed insulin, the mean daily dose was 70.9 U/day. In patients taking non-pre-mixed (intermediate/long-acting) insulin, the mean daily dose was 44.3 U/day. The addition of sitagliptin to insulin provided significant improvements in glycaemic parameters. There was no meaningful change from baseline in body weight in either group.
In a 24-week placebo-controlled factorial study of initial therapy, sitagliptin 50 mg twice daily in combination with metformin (500 mg or 1,000 mg twice daily) provided significant improvements in glycaemic parameters compared with either monotherapy. The decrease in body weight with the combination of sitagliptin and metformin was similar to that observed with metformin alone or placebo; there was no change from baseline for patients on sitagliptin alone. The incidence of hypoglycaemia was similar across treatment groups.
Table 2. HbA1c results in placebo-controlled monotherapy and combination therapy studies*:
| Study | Mean baseline HbA1c (%) | Mean change from baseline HbA1c (%)† | Placebo-corrected mean change in HbA1c (%)† (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monotherapy Studies | |||
| Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily§ (N=193) | 8.0 | -0.5 | -0.6‡ (-0.8, -0.4) |
| Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily% (N=229) | 8.0 | -0.6 | -0.8‡ (-1.0, -0.6) |
| Combination Therapy Studies | |||
| Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily added to ongoing metformin therapy% (N=453) | 8.0 | -0.7 | -0.7‡ (-0.8, -0.5) |
| Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily added to ongoing pioglitazone therapy% (N=163) | 8.1 | -0.9 | -0.7‡ (-0.9, -0.5) |
| Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily added to ongoing glimepiride therapy% (N=102) | 8.4 | -0.3 | -0.6‡ (-0.8, -0.3) |
| Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily added to ongoing glimepiride + metformin therapy% (N=115) | 8.3 | -0.6 | -0.9‡ (-1.1, -0.7) |
| Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily added to ongoing pioglitazone + metformin therapy# (N=152) | 8.8 | -1.2 | -0.7‡ (-1.0, -0.5) |
| Initial therapy (twice daily)%: Sitagliptin 50 mg + metformin 500 mg (N=183) | 8.8 | -1.4 | -1.6‡ (-1.8, -1.3) |
| Initial therapy (twice daily)%: Sitagliptin 50 mg + metformin 1,000 mg (N=178) | 8.8 | -1.9 | -2.1‡ (-2.3, -1.8) |
| Sitagliptin 100 mg once daily added to ongoing insulin (+/- metformin) therapy% (N=305) | 8.7 | -0.6¶ | -0.6‡,¶ (-0.7, -0.4) |
* All Patients Treated Population (an intention-to-treat analysis).
† Least squares means adjusted for prior antihyperglycaemic therapy status and baseline value.
‡ p<0.001 compared to placebo or placebo + combination treatment.
§ HbA1c (%) at week 18.
% HbA1c (%) at week 24.
# HbA1c (%) at week 26.
¶ Least squares mean adjusted for metformin use at Visit 1 (yes/no), insulin use at Visit 1 (pre-mixed vs. non-pre-mixed [intermediate- or long-acting]), and baseline value. Treatment by stratum (metformin and insulin use) interactions were not significant (p>0.10).
A 24-week active (metformin)-controlled study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sitagliptin 100 mg once daily (N=528) compared to metformin (N=522) in patients with inadequate glycaemic control on diet and exercise and who were not on anti-hyperglycaemic therapy (off therapy for at least 4 months). The mean dose of metformin was approximately 1,900 mg per day. The reduction in HbA1c from mean baseline values of 7.2 was -0.43% for sitagliptin and -0.57% for metformin (Per Protocol Analysis). The overall incidence of gastrointestinal adverse reactions considered as drug-related in patients treated with sitagliptin was 2.7% compared with 12.6% in patients treated with metformin. The incidence of hypoglycaemia was not significantly different between the treatment groups (sitagliptin, 1.3%; metformin, 1.9%). Body weight decreased from baseline in both groups (sitagliptin, -0.6 kg; metformin -1.9 kg).
In a study comparing the efficacy and safety of the addition of sitagliptin 100 mg once daily or glipizide (a sulphonylurea) in patients with inadequate glycaemic control on metformin monotherapy, sitagliptin was similar to glipizide in reducing HbA1c. The mean glipizide dose used in the comparator group was 10 mg per day with approximately 40 of patients requiring a glipizide dose of ≤5 mg/day throughout the study. However, more patients in the sitagliptin group discontinued due to lack of efficacy than in the glipizide group. Patients treated with sitagliptin exhibited a significant mean decrease from baseline in body weight compared to a significant weight gain in patients administered glipizide (-1.5 vs. +1.1 kg). In this study, the proinsulin to insulin ratio, a marker of efficiency of insulin synthesis and release, improved with sitagliptin and deteriorated with glipizide treatment. The incidence of hypoglycaemia in the sitagliptin group (4.9%) was significantly lower than that in the glipizide group (32.0%).
A 24-week placebo-controlled study involving 660 patients was designed to evaluate the insulin-sparing efficacy and safety of sitagliptin (100 mg once daily) added to insulin glargine with or without metformin (at least 1,500 mg) during intensification of insulin therapy. Baseline HbA1c was 8.74 and baseline insulin dose was 37 IU/day. Patients were instructed to titrate their insulin glargine dose based on fingerstick fasting glucose values. At Week 24, the increase in daily insulin dose was 19 IU/day in patients treated with sitagliptin and 24 IU/day in patients treated with placebo. The reduction in HbA1c in patients treated with sitagliptin and insulin (with or without metformin) was -1.31 compared to -0.87% in patients treated with placebo and insulin (with or without metformin), a difference of -0.45% [95% CI: -0.60, -0.29]. The incidence of hypoglycaemia was 25.2% in patients treated with sitagliptin and insulin (with or without metformin) and 36.8% in patients treated with placebo and insulin (with or without metformin). The difference was mainly due to a higher percentage of patients in the placebo group experiencing 3 or more episodes of hypoglycaemia (9.4 vs. 19.1%). There was no difference in the incidence of severe hypoglycaemia.
A study comparing sitagliptin at 25 or 50 mg once daily to glipizide at 2.5 to 20 mg/day was conducted in patients with moderate to severe renal impairment. This study involved 423 patients with chronic renal impairment (estimated glomerular filtration rate <50 mL/min). After 54 weeks, the mean reduction from baseline in HbA1c was -0.76 with sitagliptin and -0.64% with glipizide (PerProtocol Analysis). In this study, the efficacy and safety profile of sitagliptin at 25 or 50 mg once daily was generally similar to that observed in other monotherapy studies in patients with normal renal function. The incidence of hypoglycaemia in the sitagliptin group (6.2%) was significantly lower than that in the glipizide group (17.0%). There was also a significant difference between groups with respect to change from baseline body weight (sitagliptin -0.6 kg; glipizide +1.2 kg).
Another study comparing sitagliptin at 25 mg once daily to glipizide at 2.5 to 20 mg/day was conducted in 129 patients with ESRD who were on dialysis. After 54 weeks, the mean reduction from baseline in HbA1c was -0.72 with sitagliptin and -0.87% with glipizide. In this study, the efficacy and safety profile of sitagliptin at 25 mg once daily was generally similar to that observed in other monotherapy studies in patients with normal renal function. The incidence of hypoglycaemia was not significantly different between the treatment groups (sitagliptin, 6.3%; glipizide, 10.8%).
In another study involving 91 patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic renal impairment (creatinine clearance <50 mL/min), the safety and tolerability of treatment with sitagliptin at 25 or 50 mg once daily were generally similar to placebo. In addition, after 12 weeks, the mean reductions in HbA1c (sitagliptin -0.59; placebo -0.18%) and FPG (sitagliptin -25.5 mg/dL; placebo -3.0 mg/dL) were generally similar to those observed in other monotherapy studies in patients with normal renal function (see section 5.2).
The TECOS was a randomised study in 14,671 patients in the intention-to-treat population with an HbA1c of ≥6.5 to 8.0 with established CV disease who received sitagliptin (7,332) 100 mg daily (or 50 mg daily if the baseline eGFR was ≥30 and <50 mL/min/1.73 m²) or placebo (7,339) added to usual care targeting regional standards for %HbA1c and CV risk factors. Patients with an eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m² were not to be enrolled in the study. The study population included 2,004 patients ≥75 years of age and 3,324 patients with renal impairment (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m²).
Over the course of the study, the overall estimated mean (SD) difference in HbA1c between the sitagliptin and placebo groups was 0.29 (0.01), 95% CI (-0.32, -0.27); p<0.001.
The primary cardiovascular endpoint was a composite of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalisation for unstable angina. Secondary cardiovascular endpoints included the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke; first occurrence of the individual components of the primary composite; all-cause mortality; and hospital admissions for congestive heart failure.
After a median follow up of 3 years, sitagliptin, when added to usual care, did not increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events or the risk of hospitalisation for heart failure compared to usual care without sitagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes (Table 3).
Table 3. Rates of Composite Cardiovascular Outcomes and Key Secondary Outcomes:
| Sitagliptin 100 mg | Placebo | Hazard Ratio 95% CI) | p-value† | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N (%) | Incidence rate per 100 patient-years* | N (%) | Incidence rate per 100 patient-years* | |||
| Analysis in the Intention-to-Treat Population | ||||||
| Number of patients | 7,332 | 7,339 | ||||
| Primary Composite Endpoint (Cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalisation for unstable angina) | 839 (11.4) | 4.1 | 851 (11.6) | 4.2 | 0.98 (0.89–1.08) | <0.001 |
| Secondary Composite Endpoint (Cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke) | 745 (10.2) | 3.6 | 746 (10.2) | 3.6 | 0.99 (0.89–1.10) | <0.001 |
| Secondary Outcome | ||||||
| Cardiovascular death | 380 (5.2) | 1.7 | 366 (5.0) | 1.7 | 1.03 (0.89-1.19) | 0.711 |
| All myocardial infarction (fatal and non-fatal) | 300 (4.1) | 1.4 | 316 (4.3) | 1.5 | 0.95 (0.81–1.11) | 0.487 |
| All stroke (fatal and non-fatal) | 178 (2.4) | 0.8 | 183 (2.5) | 0.9 | 0.97 (0.79–1.19) | 0.760 |
| Hospitalisation for unstable angina | 116 (1.6) | 0.5 | 129 (1.8) | 0.6 | 0.90 (0.70–1.16) | 0.419 |
| Death from any cause | 547 (7.5) | 2.5 | 537 (7.3) | 2.5 | 1.01 (0.90–1.14) | 0.875 |
| Hospitalisation for heart failure‡ | 228 (3.1) | 1.1 | 229 (3.1) | 1.1 | 1.00 (0.83–1.20) | 0.983 |
* Incidence rate per 100 patient-years is calculated as 100 × (total number of patients with ≥1 event during eligible exposure period per total patient-years of follow-up).
† Based on a Cox model stratified by region. For composite endpoints, the p-values correspond to a test of non-inferiority seeking to show that the hazard ratio is less than 1.3. For all other endpoints, the p-values correspond to a test of differences in hazard rates.
‡ The analysis of hospitalisation for heart failure was adjusted for a history of heart failure at baseline.
A 54-week, double-blind study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sitagliptin 100 mg once daily in paediatric patients (10 to 17 years of age) with type 2 diabetes who were not on anti-hyperglycaemic therapy for at least 12 weeks (with HbA1c 6.5 to 10%) or were on a stable dose of insulin for at least 12 weeks (with HbA1c 7 to 10%). Patients were randomised to sitagliptin 100 mg once daily or placebo for 20 weeks.
Mean baseline HbA1c was 7.5. Treatment with sitagliptin 100 mg did not provide significant improvement in %HbA1c at 20 weeks. The reduction in HbA1c in patients treated with sitagliptin (N=95) was 0.0 compared to 0.2% in patients treated with placebo (N=95), a difference of -0.2% (95% CI: -0.7, 0.3). See section 4.2.
Following oral administration of a 100-mg dose to healthy subjects, sitagliptin was rapidly absorbed, with peak plasma concentrations (median Tmax) occurring 1 to 4 hours post-dose, mean plasma AUC of sitagliptin was 8.52 M•hr, Cmax was 950 nM. The absolute bioavailability of sitagliptin is approximately 87%. Since co-administration of a high-fat meal with sitagliptin had no effect on the pharmacokinetics, Tesavel may be administered with or without food.
Plasma AUC of sitagliptin increased in a dose-proportional manner. Dose-proportionality was not established for Cmax and C24hr (Cmax increased in a greater than dose-proportional manner and C24hr increased in a less than dose-proportional manner).
The mean volume of distribution at steady state following a single 100-mg intravenous dose of sitagliptin to healthy subjects is approximately 198 litres. The fraction of sitagliptin reversibly bound to plasma proteins is low (38%).
Sitagliptin is primarily eliminated unchanged in urine, and metabolism is a minor pathway. Approximately 79% of sitagliptin is excreted unchanged in the urine.
Following a [14C]sitagliptin oral dose, approximately 16% of the radioactivity was excreted as metabolites of sitagliptin. Six metabolites were detected at trace levels and are not expected to contribute to the plasma DPP-4 inhibitory activity of sitagliptin. In vitro studies indicated that the primary enzyme responsible for the limited metabolism of sitagliptin was CYP3A4, with contribution from CYP2C8.
In vitro data showed that sitagliptin is not an inhibitor of CYP isozymes CYP3A4, 2C8, 2C9, 2D6, 1A2, 2C19 or 2B6, and is not an inducer of CYP3A4 and CYP1A2.
Following administration of an oral [14C]sitagliptin dose to healthy subjects, approximately 100% of the administered radioactivity was eliminated in faeces (13%) or urine (87%) within one week of dosing. The apparent terminal t1/2 following a 100-mg oral dose ofsitagliptin was approximately 12.4 hours. Sitagliptin accumulates only minimally with multiple doses. The renal clearance was approximately 350 mL/min.
Elimination of sitagliptin occurs primarily via renal excretion and involves active tubular secretion. Sitagliptin is a substrate for human organic anion transporter-3 (hOAT-3), which may be involved in the renal elimination of sitagliptin. The clinical relevance of hOAT-3 in sitagliptin transport has not been established. Sitagliptin is also a substrate of p-glycoprotein, which may also be involved in mediating the renal elimination of sitagliptin. However, ciclosporin, a p-glycoprotein inhibitor, did not reduce the renal clearance of sitagliptin. Sitagliptin is not a substrate for OCT2 or OAT1 or PEPT1/2 transporters. In vitro, sitagliptin did not inhibit OAT3 (IC50=160 M) or p-glycoprotein (up to 250 μM) mediated transport at therapeutically relevant plasma concentrations. In a clinical study sitagliptin had a small effect on plasma digoxin concentrations indicating that sitagliptin may be a mild inhibitor of p-glycoprotein.
The pharmacokinetics of sitagliptin were generally similar in healthy subjects and in patients with type 2 diabetes.
A single-dose, open-label study was conducted to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of a reduced dose of sitagliptin (50 mg) in patients with varying degrees of chronic renal impairment compared to normal healthy control subjects. The study included patients with mild, moderate, and severe renal impairment, as well as patients with ESRD on haemodialysis. In addition, the effects of renal impairment on sitagliptin pharmacokinetics in patients with type 2 diabetes and mild, moderate, or severe renal impairment (including ESRD) were assessed using population pharmacokinetic analyses.
Compared to normal healthy control subjects, plasma AUC of sitagliptin was increased by approximately 1.2-fold and 1.6-fold in patients with mild renal impairment (GFR ≥60 to <90 mL/min) and patients with moderate renal impairment (GFR ≥45 to <60 mL/min), respectively.
Because increases of this magnitude are not clinically relevant, dosage adjustment in these patients is not necessary.
Plasma AUC of sitagliptin was increased approximately 2-fold in patients with moderate renal impairment (GFR ≥30 to <45 mL/min), and approximately 4-fold in patients with severe renal impairment (GFR <30 mL/min), including in patients with ESRD on haemodialysis. Sitagliptin was modestly removed by haemodialysis (13.5% over a 3- to 4-hour haemodialysis session starting 4 hours postdose). To achieve plasma concentrations of sitagliptin similar to those in patients with normal renal function, lower dosages are recommended in patients with GFR <45 mL/min (see section 4.2).
No dose adjustment for Tesavel is necessary for patients with mild or moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score ≤9). There is no clinical experience in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score >9). However, because sitagliptin is primarily renally eliminated, severe hepatic impairment is not expected to affect the pharmacokinetics of sitagliptin.
No dose adjustment is required based on age. Age did not have a clinically meaningful impact on the pharmacokinetics of sitagliptin based on a population pharmacokinetic analysis of Phase I and Phase II data. Elderly subjects (65 to 80 years) had approximately 19% higher plasma concentrations of sitagliptin compared to younger subjects.
The pharmacokinetics of sitagliptin (single dose of 50 mg, 100 mg or 200 mg) were investigated in paediatric patients (10 to 17 years of age) with type 2 diabetes. In this population, the dose-adjusted AUC of sitagliptin in plasma was approximately 18% lower compared to adult patients with type 2 diabetes for a 100 mg dose. This is not considered to be a clinically meaningful difference compared to adult patients based on the flat PK/PD relationship between the dose of 50 mg and 100 mg. No studies with sitagliptin have been performed in paediatric patients with age <10 years.
No dose adjustment is necessary based on gender, race, or body mass index (BMI). These characteristics had no clinically meaningful effect on the pharmacokinetics of sitagliptin based on a composite analysis of Phase I pharmacokinetic data and on a population pharmacokinetic analysis of Phase I and Phase II data.
Renal and liver toxicity were observed in rodents at systemic exposure values 58 times the human exposure level, while the no-effect level was found at 19 times the human exposure level. Incisor teeth abnormalities were observed in rats at exposure levels 67 times the clinical exposure level; the no-effect level for this finding was 58-fold based on the 14-week rat study. The relevance of these findings for humans is unknown. Transient treatment-related physical signs, some of which suggest neural toxicity, such as open-mouth breathing, salivation, white foamy emesis, ataxia, trembling, decreased activity, and/or hunched posture were observed in dogs at exposure levels approximately 23 times the clinical exposure level. In addition, very slight to slight skeletal muscle degeneration was also observed histologically at doses resulting in systemic exposure levels of approximately 23 times the human exposure level. A no-effect level for these findings was found at an exposure 6-fold the clinical exposure level.
Sitagliptin has not been demonstrated to be genotoxic in preclinical studies. Sitagliptin was not carcinogenic in mice. In rats, there was an increased incidence of hepatic adenomas and carcinomas at systemic exposure levels 58 times the human exposure level. Since hepatotoxicity has been shown to correlate with induction of hepatic neoplasia in rats, this increased incidence of hepatic tumours in rats was likely secondary to chronic hepatic toxicity at this high dose. Because of the high safety margin (19-fold at this no-effect level), these neoplastic changes are not considered relevant for the situation in humans.
No adverse effects upon fertility were observed in male and female rats given sitagliptin prior to and throughout mating.
In a pre-/postnatal development study performed in rats sitagliptin showed no adverse effects.
Reproductive toxicity studies showed a slight treatment-related increased incidence of foetal rib malformations (absent, hypoplastic and wavy ribs) in the offspring of rats at systemic exposure levels more than 29 times the human exposure levels. Maternal toxicity was seen in rabbits at more than 29 times the human exposure levels. Because of the high safety margins, these findings do not suggest a relevant risk for human reproduction. Sitagliptin is secreted in considerable amounts into the milk of lactating rats (milk/plasma ratio: 4:1).
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