With Lilly already seeing benefits from its program -- it makes sense that Merck would dive in, too. This is a perhaps $1 to $1.5 billion undertaking -- over the next decade. Here's a bit from the diabetes confab in California -- where Merck announced the plan, a few days ago now:
. . . .Comprising 20,000 patients sites across the US, German, France and Japan, Merck said the registry will collect data from 900 sites, such as diabetes clinics and health centres, to help provide real-world evidence to advance care in type 2 diabetes.
It follows a similar project announced earlier this year by Lilly, which is teaming up with the research organization T1D Exchange to build a registry for type 1 diabetes. . . .
Specific areas of interest include incidences of hypoglycaemia, blood sugar control, quality of life and adherence to medicines - a major issue in chronic diseases such as diabetes. . . .
[Merck's] Dr. Stein also explained why Merck chose the countries involved in the registry: “Feasibility is part of it certainly. It's interesting to have different practice settings too. These are regions where Januvia is commonly used and it gives us a good picture of the questions we want answered in those countries. . . .”
We will keep an eye on this -- but it is largely to drive penentration of Januvia® (sitigliptin) -- no doubt. And to prepare to transition these patients to Merck's next gen therapies, as they come online.
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