Prescription medication · DPP-4 Inhibitor
alogliptin
Also sold as Nesina.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 3,393
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 7
- InteractionsFew interactions
- 62% less
- Generic vs brandBig savings
- $13.10
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
alogliptin (Nesina) is a prescription DPP-4 Inhibitor, among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (3,393 FDA reports), whose generic runs roughly half the brand price or less (62% less).
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$13.10/unit
Generic Price
$5.02/unit
Generic Savings
62%
Generic Available
Yes (0 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Information not available.
Common side effects
Upper respiratory tract infection, Common cold, Diarrhea
Key warnings
No specific warnings noted. Always follow your prescriber's instructions.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 3,393 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for alogliptin, by number of reports
- Diarrhea
Diarrhea
134 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
124 reports
- Throwing up
Throwing up
110 reports
- Sudden kidney damage
Sudden kidney damage
101 reports
- Blistering skin condition
Blistering skin condition
101 reports
- Feeling unwell
Feeling unwell
93 reports
- Skin rash
Skin rash
92 reports
- High blood sugar
High blood sugar
86 reports
- Difficulty breathing
Difficulty breathing
84 reports
- Loss of appetite
Loss of appetite
82 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for alogliptin each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where alogliptin sits
alogliptin has more FDA adverse-event reports than 20% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is alogliptin; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 3,393 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2011–2025.
Total Reports
3,393
Reports Mentioning Death
356
10.5% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
1,564
Top Indication
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DIARRHOEA | 134 |
| 2 | NAUSEA | 124 |
| 3 | VOMITING | 110 |
| 4 | ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 101 |
| 5 | PEMPHIGOID | 101 |
| 6 | MALAISE | 93 |
| 7 | RASH | 92 |
| 8 | BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED | 86 |
| 9 | DYSPNOEA | 84 |
| 10 | DECREASED APPETITE | 82 |
| 11 | PNEUMONIA | 82 |
| 12 | PYREXIA | 78 |
| 13 | DIZZINESS | 77 |
| 14 | PRURITUS | 76 |
| 16 | CEREBRAL INFARCTION | 72 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Known Drug Interactions
Examples: Topiramate, zonisamide, acetazolamide or dichlorphenamide Drugs that Reduce Metformin Clearance Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of drugs that interfere with common renal tubular transport systems involved in the renal elimination of metformin (e.g., organic cationic transporter-2 [OCT2]/multidrug and toxin extrusion [MATE] inhibitors) could increase systemic exposure to metformin and may increase the risk for lactic acidosis [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .
Mechanism: Topiramate can stop your kidneys from clearing metformin properly, which may cause the drug to build up to dangerous levels.
What to do: Your doctor may need to monitor you more closely for side effects or adjust your dosage.
Examples: Topiramate, zonisamide, acetazolamide or dichlorphenamide Drugs that Reduce Metformin Clearance Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of drugs that interfere with common renal tubular transport systems involved in the renal elimination of metformin (e.g., organic cationic transporter-2 [OCT2]/multidrug and toxin extrusion [MATE] inhibitors) could increase systemic exposure to metformin and may increase the risk for lactic acidosis [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .
Mechanism: Zonisamide interferes with how your kidneys remove metformin from your body, which can increase the risk of a serious condition called lactic acidosis.
What to do: Use these drugs together with caution and follow your doctor's advice on monitoring your health.
( 7 ) Drugs that reduce metformin clearance (such as ranolazine, vandetanib, dolutegravir, and cimetidine), may increase the accumulation of metformin. ( 7 ) Alcohol can potentiate the effect of metformin on lactate metabolism. ( 7 ) Metformin HCl Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors Clinical Impact: Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors frequently cause a decrease in serum bicarbonate and induce non-anion gap, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis.
Mechanism: These two drugs work in different ways to lower blood sugar. When taken together, they have an additive effect to help control blood sugar levels.
What to do: Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly and follow your doctor's advice on managing your condition.
( 7 ) Drugs that reduce metformin clearance (such as ranolazine, vandetanib, dolutegravir, and cimetidine), may increase the accumulation of metformin. Examples: Ranolazine, vandetanib, dolutegravir, and cimetidine Alcohol Clinical Impact: Alcohol is known to potentiate the effect of metformin on lactate metabolism.
Mechanism: Dolutegravir can slow down how quickly the body removes metformin. This can cause metformin to build up in the blood, increasing the risk of side effects.
What to do: Your doctor may need to monitor you more closely or adjust your medication doses.
( 7 ) Drugs that reduce metformin clearance (such as ranolazine, vandetanib, dolutegravir, and cimetidine), may increase the accumulation of metformin. Examples: Ranolazine, vandetanib, dolutegravir, and cimetidine Alcohol Clinical Impact: Alcohol is known to potentiate the effect of metformin on lactate metabolism.
Mechanism: Ranolazine can interfere with the body's ability to clear out metformin. This leads to higher levels of metformin in the body.
What to do: Your healthcare provider should monitor your response and may need to adjust your metformin dose.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
What are the common side effects of alogliptin?
Does alogliptin interact with other medications?
What drug class is alogliptin?
Is there a generic version of alogliptin?
Related Medications in DPP-4 Inhibitor
Other drugs grouped near alogliptin - same-class peers and common alternatives.
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dapagliflozin
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Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for alogliptin
The FDA label for alogliptin (sold under brand names such as Nesina) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the DPP-4 Inhibitor class. Regulatory labeling describes its approved uses and the patient populations studied in pre-market trials. Official labeling lists 7 commonly reported side effects, including Upper respiratory tract infection, Common cold, Diarrhea.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 3,393 voluntary reports. The database also lists 7 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $5.02 versus $13.10 for the brand - a 62% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: April 11, 2025
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages