Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (Ranbaxy) announced the launch of Riomet (Metformin HCl oral solution) 500 mg/ml, nationwide in the US, the first and only liquid form of Metformin to treat Type 2 diabetes. In the United States Type 2 diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death & Metformin is the number one prescribed oral treatment.

As a liquid form of Metformin, Riomet may significantly improve the lives of people with diabetes who are unable to swallow tablets-a condition known as dysphagia. Dysphagia is a relatively unknown but widespread problem, affecting one in seventeen people in some form.

Dr Andrew Drexler, a leading New York City diabetologist and associate professor of the New York University School of Medicine, said, "I routinely prescribe Metformin to my diabetes patients. Riomet will allow me to provide them with a liquid alternative of Metformin, which may improve compliance among my patients who cannot or prefer not to swallow a pill. "

Jeffrey Thomas, vice president, Brand Marketing and Sales at Ranbaxy USA Inc. and affiliate of Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RPI -a wholly owned subsidiary of Ranbaxy) said, "At Ranbaxy we recognized that non-compliance with treatment is a major problem among people with type 2 diabetes-only one-third control their blood sugar. For that reason, and the large number of people who have difficulty swallowing large tablets, we saw an opportunity for a liquid form of the top-selling diabetes drug Metformin. By arming physicians with Riomet, Ranbaxy is providing them with an alternative for the dsyphagic patient and those that are averse to taking a tablet, which may help to improve patient compliance."

Diabetes is a major health concern in the United States, where 6.3 per cent of the population has the disease. And the risk increases with age - the incidence of diabetes among Americans age 60 and older is 18.3 per cent. Older people also find it difficult in swallowing pills – 45 per cent of seniors have dysphagia.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease, affecting between 90 and 95 per cent of all sufferers. In Type 2 diabetes, insulin, which carries sugar from the blood into the body's cells, is either not produced by the body in sufficient quantities or is not accepted by the cells. This causes glucose to build up in the blood, which can starve the body's cells for energy and ultimately damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart. In fact, two out of every three people with diabetes die of heart disease or stroke.