Last reviewed 2026-05-27 · How we verify

Tradjenta (BI 1356)

Tradjenta (generic name: BI 1356) is a Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitor [EPC] Small molecule drug developed by Boehringer Ingelheim. It is currently FDA-approved (first approved 2011) for Diabetes mellitus type 2.

Tradjenta works by blocking the DPP-4 enzyme, which normally breaks down incretin hormones that help regulate blood sugar levels.

At a glance

Mechanism of action

TRIJARDY XRTRIJARDY XR contains: empagliflozin, sodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT2) inhibitor, linagliptin, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, and metformin, biguanide.. EmpagliflozinSodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT2) is the predominant transporter responsible for reabsorption of glucose from the glomerular filtrate back into the circulation. Empagliflozin is an inhibitor of SGLT2. By inhibiting SGLT2, empagliflozin reduces renal reabsorption of filtered glucose and lowers the renal threshold for glucose, and thereby increases urinary glucose excretion.. LinagliptinLinagliptin is an inhibitor of DPP-4, an enzyme that degrades the incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). Thus, linagliptin increases the concentrations of active incretin hormones, stimulating the release of insulin in glucose-dependent manner and decreasing the levels of glucagon in the circulation. Both incretin hormone

Approved indications

• Diabetes mellitus type 2

Common side effects

• Hypoglycemia with plasma glucose <54 mg/dL
• Back pain
• Arthralgia
• Upper respiratory tract infection
• Headache
• Cough
• Pain in extremity
• Severe hypoglycemia
• Pancreatitis
• Urinary tract infection
• Hypertriglyceridemia
• Hyperlipidemia

Drug interactions

• carbamazepine
• fosphenytoin
• phenytoin
• rifampicin
• tipranavir

Key clinical trials

• Metformin, Empagliflozin With Sitagliptin vs Linagliptin in Type 2 Diabetes (PHASE4)
• Glycemic Variability of Combination Therapies in T2DM (PHASE4)
• Impact of Pharmacogenetic-Guided Treatment on Type 2 Diabetes. (PHASE4)
• LIGHT-MCI Trial: GLP-1 Agonist, SGLT2 Inhibitor, and DPP-4 Inhibitor for MCI Remission in Type 2 Diabetes (NA)
• A Study of Multiple Immunotherapy-Based Treatment Combinations in Patients With Locally Advanced Unresectable or Metastatic Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer (G/GEJ) or Esophageal Cancer (Morpheus-Gastric and Esophageal Cancer) (PHASE1,PHASE2)
• A Study Of Multiple Immunotherapy-Based Treatment Combinations In Participants With Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (Morpheus- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) (PHASE1,PHASE2)
• Efficacy and Safety of Madalena Association in the Treatment of Type II Diabetes Mellitus (PHASE3)
• Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Four Second Line Pharmacological Strategies in Type 2 Diabetes Study

Patents

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

• Tradjenta CI brief — competitive landscape report
• Tradjenta updates RSS · CI watch RSS
• Boehringer Ingelheim portfolio CI

Frequently asked questions about Tradjenta

Related

• Drug class: All Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitor [EPC] drugs
• Target: All drugs targeting Dipeptidyl peptidase 4
• Manufacturer: Boehringer Ingelheim — full pipeline
• Therapeutic area: All drugs in Metabolic
• Indication: Drugs for Diabetes mellitus type 2

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing