Despite Januvia Side Effects, Sales of Diabetes Drug Increase

Whitehouse Station, NJWhile Januvia side effects including pancreatitis have become more well-known, sales of the diabetes drug actually increased during the fourth quarter, The Associated Press reports.

span itemprop="image" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="display:block">Still, drugmaker Merck & Company, which manufactures Januvia, recently reported a $531 million loss in the fourth quarter due in large part to restructuring costs that resulted from its purchase of the Schering-Plough Corporation.

The New Jersey-based company, which is the second-largest drugmaker in the world behind Pfizer, cited healthcare changes in the US and Europe as well as the lack of success of its anti-clotting drug vorapaxar as reasons for issuing a 2011 earnings forecast that was lower than expectations on Wall Street.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, Januvia is prescribed in order to lower the blood sugar level in patients with type 2 diabetes. In addition to potential serious side effects such as pancreatitis, other side effects of taking Januvia can include headache, sore throat and nausea, according to the center's Web site.