Merck & Co identifies nitrosamine source in diabetes drugs
Investigation uncovers the cause of contamination in sitagliptin medicines, but the wider nitrosamine problem is ballooning
US drug giant Merck & Co has found the cause of nitrosamine contaminants in three blockbuster diabetes drugs containing the active ingredient sitagliptin. Nitrosamine impurities have the potential to cause cancer, and have come under increasing scrutiny from regulators after their detection in a variety of drugs in recent years.