| Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent
Janumet XR vs Welchol
Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for diabetes mellitus, non-insulin-dependent.Deep comparison between: Janumet vs Welchol with Prescriber.AI
AI compares prescribing info and payer-specific access barriers across 1,200+ formularies. Here's a preview of what prescribers are already asking.Safety signalsWelchol has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Janumet based on FDA-approved prescribing information
Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Welchol but not Janumet, including UnitedHealthcare
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Category
Janumet
Welchol
At A Glance
Oral
Once daily
DPP-4 inhibitor / biguanide
Oral
Daily
Bile acid sequestrant
Indications
- Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent
- Familial hyperlipidemia
- Familial hypercholesterolemia - heterozygous
- Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent
Dosing
Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent Take once daily with a meal; recommended starting dose is 100 mg sitagliptin and 1000 mg metformin HCl extended-release once daily; maximum daily dose is 100 mg sitagliptin and 2000 mg metformin HCl; dose of sitagliptin component limited to 50 mg once daily if eGFR falls below 45 mL/min/1.73 m2; do not split, crush, or chew tablets.
Familial hyperlipidemia, Familial hypercholesterolemia - heterozygous 3.75 grams daily; 6 tablets once daily or 3 tablets twice daily with a meal and liquid, or one packet oral suspension once daily with a meal.
Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent 3.75 grams daily; 6 tablets once daily or 3 tablets twice daily with a meal and liquid, or one packet oral suspension once daily with a meal.
Contraindications
- Severe renal impairment (eGFR below 30 mL/min/1.73 m2)
- Acute or chronic metabolic acidosis, including diabetic ketoacidosis
- History of a serious hypersensitivity reaction to JANUMET XR, sitagliptin, or metformin, such as anaphylaxis or angioedema
- Serum TG concentrations >500 mg/dL
- History of hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis
- History of bowel obstruction
Adverse Reactions
Most common (>=5%) Diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection, headache (from sitagliptin and metformin coadministration studies); nasopharyngitis (sitagliptin monotherapy); hypoglycemia, diarrhea, nausea (extended-release metformin added to glyburide)
Serious Lactic acidosis, pancreatitis, heart failure, acute renal failure, vitamin B12 deficiency, hypoglycemia with insulin or insulin secretagogues, hypersensitivity reactions, severe and disabling arthralgia, bullous pemphigoid
Postmarketing Anaphylaxis, angioedema, rash, urticaria, cutaneous vasculitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, hepatic enzyme elevations, fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis, worsening renal function including acute renal failure, tubulointerstitial nephritis, severe and disabling arthralgia, bullous pemphigoid, constipation, vomiting, myalgia, rhabdomyolysis, cholestatic and hepatocellular liver injury
Most common (>=2%) Constipation, dyspepsia, nausea, asthenia, pharyngitis, myalgia (primary hyperlipidemia); constipation, dyspepsia, nausea, hypertension, back pain (type 2 diabetes)
Serious Hypertriglyceridemia, pancreatitis, gastrointestinal obstruction, vitamin K and fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies
Postmarketing Bowel obstruction, dysphagia, esophageal obstruction, fecal impaction, pancreatitis, hypertriglyceridemia, increased transaminases
Pharmacology
JANUMET XR combines sitagliptin, a selective DPP-4 inhibitor that slows inactivation of incretin hormones (GLP-1 and GIP) to increase insulin release and decrease glucagon in a glucose-dependent manner, and metformin, a biguanide that decreases hepatic glucose production, reduces intestinal glucose absorption, and improves peripheral insulin sensitivity without altering insulin secretion.
Colesevelam hydrochloride is a non-absorbed bile acid sequestrant that binds bile acids in the intestine, depletes the bile acid pool, upregulates hepatic cholesterol 7-alpha-hydroxylase, increases LDL receptor expression, and thereby lowers serum LDL-C; the mechanism by which it improves glycemic control in type 2 diabetes is unknown.
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Most Common Insurance
Anthem BCBS
Janumet
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (0/12) · Step Therapy (9/12) · Qty limit (11/12)
Welchol
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (10/12) · Step Therapy (0/12) · Qty limit (9/12)
UnitedHealthcare
Janumet
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (2/8)
Welchol
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (0/8)
Humana
Janumet
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (1/3) · Step Therapy (1/3) · Qty limit (3/3)
Welchol
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (1/3) · Step Therapy (0/3) · Qty limit (2/3)
Coverage data sourced from MMIT. Updated monthly.
Savings
No savings programs available for Janumet.
No savings programs available for Welchol.
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JanumetView full Janumet profile
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Clinical data sourced from FDA-approved labeling. Coverage data via MMIT. Updated monthly.