Glucophage® (metformin hydrochloride) belongs to the biguanide class of molecules which decrease glucose production by the liver. It is a first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes. A primary objective of type 2 diabetes treatments is to correct the dual effects of tissue unresponsiveness to insulin (insulin resistance) and insulin
deficiency arising from impaired functioning of the beta cells in the
pancreas that make insulin.

Glucophage® corrects insulin resistance by making tissues, such as the liver and muscle, responsive to insulin. This way, patients get less “in-house” glucose production in the liver and better insulin uptake into muscle, where it is stored as glycogen or burnt off to produce energy. The net result is restoration of normal glucose levels.

The wealth of evidence documented in some 5,600 scientific publications since 1957, the year of metformin’s introduction into clinical practice, led the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) to recommend metformin as the 1st line therapy of choice for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in its global guidelines, issued in 2005.A landmark study, the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) has shown metformin to be unique in being the only antidiabetic agent to lower blood glucose without weight gain, while reducing the risk of long-term complications, such as heart attacks or strokes.

Merck Serono is a world market leader in oral diabetes medications. More than six million patients in over 100 countries around the globe currently benefit from various products of the Glucophage family.