The SGLT2 inhibitor drug ertugliflozin is now listed on PBS for use as triple oral therapy in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in fixed dose combination (FDC) products with sitagliptin or metformin.

Marketed under the brand name Steglatro by MSD, the drug was PBS listed on 1 December 2018 for patients with uncontrolled T2DM (as evidenced by HbA1c blood glucose levels), in combination with metformin, or in combination with a sulfonylurea.

Also listed are fixed dose combinations of ertugliflozin/metformin (Segluromet) and ertugliflozin/sitagliptin (Steglujan).

According to the prescribing criteria, ertugliflozin is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycaemic control in adults with T2DM as: monotherapy when metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance; or in combination with other anti-glycaemic agents.

The listing will give clinicians more options to individualise treatment combinations to improve HbA1c control for their patients, said Dr Gary Deed, GP and Chair of the RACGP Specific Interests Diabetes network, based in Queensland

“And it’s useful to know that ertugliflozin …  can be used in a number of different dual and triple combinations that can be tailored to individual patients, bringing potential simplification of diabetes management,” he said.

Sitagliptin was already listed on the PBS as a single agent (Januvia) and as a fixed dose combination with metformin (Janumet), and on 1 December 2018 an additional listing was made available for sitagliptin products to be used in triple triple therapy.