OBJECTIVE: To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety, and 
place in therapy of the fixed-dose combination (FDC) product, QTERN 
(dapagliflozin/saxagliptin) tablets.
DATA SOURCES: Searches of MEDLINE (1946 to July 1, 2017) were conducted using 
the keywords QTERN, saxagliptin, and dapagliflozin. Additional data were 
obtained from the prescribing information, the product dossier, and 
Clinicaltrials.gov .
STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All English language articles related to 
pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, or safety of the combination therapy 
in human subjects were reviewed.
DATA SYNTHESIS: The pharmacokinetics of saxagliptin and dapagliflozin were not 
affected significantly when administered as an FDC product. Saxagliptin may 
suppress the increased secretion of glucagon associated with dapagliflozin. The 
combination dapagliflozin/saxagliptin has been studied as add-on therapy to 
metformin in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The 
difference in hemoglobin A1C (A1C) between saxagliptin + dapagliflozin + 
metformin (triple therapy) and saxagliptin + metformin was -0.59 (95% CI = -0.81 
to -0.37, P < 0.0001), and the difference between triple therapy and 
dapagliflozin + metformin was -0.27 (95% CI = -0.48 to -0.05, P = 0.0166). The 
combination was well tolerated when added to metformin.
CONCLUSION: QTERN (dapagliflozin/saxagliptin) tablets are a reasonable option 
for patients with T2DM not controlled on metformin, but cost, insurance 
coverage, and a lackluster reduction in A1C will likely limit its use until more 
data regarding its effects on complications of diabetes and cardiovascular 
outcomes become available.