OSAKA, Japan--Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) announced that today it submitted an application for an additional indication of ACTOS (pioglitazone HCl) with biguanides to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

ACTOS directly targets insulin resistance, a condition where the body does not effectively use the insulin it produces, by improving the sensitivity to insulin mainly in the muscles, fat cells and the liver. Biguanides act primarily by reducing the amount of glucose produced by the liver, and are being used as the standard therapy for type 2 diabetes in Western countries and its use in Japan is now being expanded.

"In Japan, Actos is already approved for monotherapy, and concomitant therapies with sulfonylureas and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors respectively", said Masaomi Miyamoto, Ph.D., General Manager of Pharmaceutical Development Division of Takeda. "Once this concomitant therapy of Actos with biguanides is approved, we can offer a variety of treatment option for patients with type 2 diabetes and also healthcare providers who help them manage their blood glucose levels."