| abstract |
Disclosed is a use of metformin and at least one other antidiabetic agent, which is one or more of a sulfonyl urea (which may be selected from glyburide, glimepiride, glipyride, glipizide, chlorpropamide and gliclazide), for the preparation of a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a low dose combination of metformin and said at least one other antidiabetic agent, which provides at least substantially equivalent efficacy in treating diabetes in drug naive patients, but with substantially reduced side effects, as compared to metformin and said other antidiabetic agent employed in substantially higher daily dosages as prescribed in generally accepted medical practice for first line therapy in treating diabetes, for first line treatment of type 2 diabetes in a drug natve human patient, wherein the low dose combination includes metformin in an amount to provide a daily dosage within the range from about 160 mg to about 750 mg, in single or divided doses of one to four tablets daily, and wherein the ratio of metformin:sulfonyl urea is 250:1 to 150:1. |