Januvia vs Jardiance
Two oral add-ons to metformin. Both are once-daily tablets, but only one has trial evidence for heart failure and kidney protection.
At a glance
Key differences
- Different classes. Januvia is a DPP-4 inhibitor; Jardiance is an SGLT2 inhibitor. They act on different targets in the body.
- How they are taken. Both are given by the oral route.
- Time on the market. Januvia was first approved by the FDA in 2006, Jardiance in 2014. That gives Januvia roughly 8 more years of real-world use and long-term safety data.
- Who markets them. Januvia is marketed by Msd; Jardiance by Boehringer Ingelheim.
What each one treats
JANUVIA ® is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. JANUVIA is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. ( 1 ) Limitations of Use: JANUVIA should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes ( 1 ) JANUVIA has not been studied in patients with a history of pancreatitis. ( 1 , 5.1 ) Limitations of Use JANUVIA should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes. JANUVIA has not been studied in patients with a history of pancreatitis. It is unknown whether patients with a history of pancreatitis are at increased risk for the development of pancreatitis while using JANUVIA. [See Warnings and Precautions (5.1) .]
JARDIANCE is indicated: to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in adults with heart failure. to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular disease. as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. JARDIANCE is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor indicated: To reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in adults with heart failure. ( 1 ) To reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular disease. ( 1 ) As an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. ( 1 ) Limitations of Use: Not recommended in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. It may increase the risk o…
How each one works
12.1 Mechanism of Action Sitagliptin is a DPP-4 inhibitor, which is believed to exert its actions in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by slowing the inactivation of incretin hormones. Concentrations of the active intact hormones are increased by sitagliptin, thereby increasing and prolonging the action of these hormones. Incretin hormones, including glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), are released by the intestine throughout the day, and levels are increased in response to a meal. These hormones are rapidly inactivated by the enzyme, DPP-4. The incretins are part of an endogenous system involved in the physiologic regulation of gluco…
12.1 Mechanism of Action Empagliflozin is an inhibitor of the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2), the predominant transporter responsible for reabsorption of glucose from the glomerular filtrate back into the circulation. By inhibiting SGLT2, empagliflozin reduces renal reabsorption of filtered glucose and lowers the renal threshold for glucose, and thereby increases urinary glucose excretion. Empagliflozin also reduces sodium reabsorption and increases the delivery of sodium to the distal tubule. This may influence several physiological functions such as lowering both pre-and afterload of the heart and downregulating sympathetic activity.
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Which medicine is right for a given person depends on their diagnosis, other conditions, other medicines, kidney and liver function, pregnancy, and cost or reimbursement — none of which this page knows. Two drugs in the same class are not automatically interchangeable. Never start, stop or switch a prescription medicine on the basis of a web page; that decision belongs to you and your clinician or pharmacist.
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- FDA Drug Shortage Database ↗ Current US supply / shortage status
Plain-English summaries and drug-class explainers are written and reviewed by Sreepriya Prasannan (MSc Digital Transformation of Life Sciences (Innopharma Education / Griffith College); MSc & BSc Botany). Data is retrieved automatically from the sources above and cross-checked with AI-assisted verification (Anthropic's Claude) — brand and generic names are matched against the exact FDA product record so that a combination product or a different formulation cannot be mistaken for the drug on this page. An editor reviews the result before publication. We describe this in full in our editorial standards and corrections policy. The FDA data on this page was last retrieved on 6 Oct 2026. How every register is built: methodology · fixes we have made: corrections log.