Market atlas / AMPK / biguanide / Metformin, longevity use

Metformin, longevity use

repurposedsmall-moleculeampk-activationmtor-inhibition-indirectinsulin-sensitization● hba1c● epigenetic-clock

Stage by geography

Same development stage across markets, but Switzerland reached it about 63 years before Israel.

signalpreclinfirst-in-humanRCTapprovedreal-worldconsumerUSUKCNJPCHSGILKRIN+1 stages

MarketsUS United States FDAUK United Kingdom MHRA / NICECN China NMPAIN India CDSCOJP Japan PMDACH Switzerland SwissmedicSG Singapore HSAIL Israel Ministry of HealthKR South Korea MFDS

What each market approved it for

Market	Stage	Since	Indication / class / form
US	approved	not dated	form Oral
UK	approved	2015-01-17	indication Treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, particularly in overweight patients, when dietary management and exercise alone does not result in adequate glycaemic…
CN	approved	not dated	form Tablet, chemical drug
IN	RCT	2006-05-01	not published
JP	approved	2009-05-20	indication Drugs with a new indication and a new dosage for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients who have not responded sufficiently to either (1) diet…
CH	approved	1960-03-22	indication Oral antidiabetic
SG	approved	1990-04-20	form Tablet, film coated, oral, prescription only
IL	approved	2023-08-20	indication • Reduction in the risk or delay of the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adult, overweight patients with IGT* and/or IFG*, and/or increased HbA1C who are:-…
KR	approved	1985-07-03	class Diabetes agents [MFDS 03960]

Legal status by market

Market	Legal class	Effective	Status & source
US	Rx (prescription)	not dated	Prescription-only medicine (Rx); FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes. NDA021591

China registers · NMPA

What each NMPA register actually approved. Reference approval NMPA H21022377. Domestic generics vs imported originator.

552domestic approvals

Forms listed: 12
Product: Metformin hydrochloride Tablets
Form: tablet
Strength: 0.25g
Holder: Dandong Yichuang Pharmaceutical
Origin: China
Approved: 2025-05-21
Approval no: NMPA H21022377

29imported approvals

approval count only; per-product detail not captured

Biomarker trends

no biomarker readings yet

Studies

The studies on Metformin, longevity use, what they found, in whom and how strongly, are on its evidence page, each linked to its source.

What the trials measure

Registered primary outcomes this development's trials are powered on, commonest first (ClinicalTrials.gov). What is measured, across markets.

Registered primary endpoint	Markets measuring it
HbA1c change from baseline	IL, IN
Change in Glycosylated Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)	IN, KR
Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) Change From Baseline	IN, KR
TG / HDL-C ratio	IN
Bioequivalence based on Composite of Pharmacokinetics	IN
Changes in ovarian stromal blood flow by using Doppler	IN
Maximum observed plasma concentration (Cmax) of metformin	US
Time to reach maximum observed plasma concentration (Cmax) of metformin	US
Area under the plasma concentration versus time curve over the dosing interval, at steady state (AUCtau) of metformin	US
Area under plasma-concentration time curve	US

Connections

Trajectory

1960

MarketCH: approved-other (Swissmedic-authorised (Switzerland))

Swissmedic:metformin (1960-03-22) · machine-extracted

1985

MarketKR: approved-other (MFDS-approved (South Korea))

MFDS:metformin (1985-07-03) · machine-extracted

1990

MarketSG: approved-other (HSA-registered (Singapore))

HSA:metformin (1990-04-20) · machine-extracted

2006

MarketIN: rct (clinical trials (highest phase 3))

NCT00318461 · machine-extracted

2009

MarketJP: approved-other (PMDA-approved (Japan))

PMDA:metformin (2009-05-20) · machine-extracted

2014

Relatedcontrasts with Rapamycin

NCT02432287 · machine-extracted

2014

ProfileMetformin, longevity use

NCT02432287 · machine-extracted

2015

MarketUK: approved-other (MHRA-authorised (UK), per eMC SmPC)

EMC:metformin (product 987) · machine-extracted

2023

MarketIL: approved-other (Israel MoH-registered)

IsraelMoH:metformin (2023-08-20) · machine-extracted

2024

MarketUS: rct (clinical trials (highest phase 2))

NCT06273072 · machine-extracted

2026

MarketCH: rct (clinical trials (highest phase 3))

NCT00261352 · machine-extracted

2026

MarketIL: rct (clinical trials (highest phase 3))

NCT02787551 · machine-extracted

2026

MarketJP: rct (clinical trials (highest phase 3))

NCT00924573 · machine-extracted

2026

MarketKR: rct (clinical trials (highest phase 2))

NCT00881530 · machine-extracted

2026

MarketSG: rct (clinical trials (highest phase 3))

NCT00261352 · machine-extracted

2026

MarketCN: approved-other (NMPA-approved (domestic + imported))

NMPA:NMPA H21022377 · machine-extracted

2026

MarketUS: approved-other (approved, marketed)

NDA021591 · machine-extracted

2026

Legal statusUS: rx (prescription). Prescription-only medicine (Rx); FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes.

NDA021591 · machine-extracted

Get into the weeds: raw observations + provenance

swissmedic__dev_metformin__CH  2026-07-13  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   Swissmedic-authorised in Switzerland: metforminum (Glucophage 500, film-coated tablets), first authorisation 1960-03-22. [Swissmedic list of authorised medicinal products]
   source Swissmedic:metformin (1960-03-22)  https://www.swissmedic.ch/dam/swissmedic/en/dokumente/internetlisten/erweiterte_ham_ind.xlsx.download.xlsx/erweiterte_ham_ind.xlsx

mfds__dev_metformin__KR  2026-07-13  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   MFDS-approved in South Korea: Metformin Hydrochloride (DIABEX Tab 500mg), first approval 1985-07-03. [MFDS drug product-approval list]
   source MFDS:metformin (1985-07-03)  https://nedrug.mfds.go.kr/pbp/CCBGA01

hsa__dev_metformin__SG  2026-07-13  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   HSA-registered in Singapore: METFORMIN HCl (GLUCOPHAGE TABLET 500 mg), first registration 1990-04-20. [HSA Listing of Registered Therapeutic Products]
   source HSA:metformin (1990-04-20)  https://data.gov.sg/datasets/d_767279312753558cbf19d48344577084/view

meta_in  2026-06-29  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   Metformin: registered phase 3 trials in India [NCT00318461]
   source NCT00318461  https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00318461

pmda__dev_metformin__JP  2026-07-13  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   PMDA-approved in Japan: Metformin hydrochloride (Melbin Tablets 250 mg (Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd.) Glycoran Tablets 250 mg (Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd.)), first approval 2009-05-20. [PMDA List of Approved Drugs]
   source PMDA:metformin (2009-05-20)  https://www.pmda.go.jp/files/000281190.pdf

meta_edge_rapa  2026-06-29  kind=edge  verify=M
   same goal, different pathway
   source NCT02432287  https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02432287

meta_facets  2026-06-29  kind=facets  verify=M
   Metformin facets
   source NCT02432287  https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02432287

meta_uk  2026-07-14  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   UK marketing authorisation (MHRA), per the eMC SmPC: Glucophage 500 mg film coated tablets [active substance: metformin hydrochloride], first authorised 2015-01-17. [electronic Medicines Compendium, medicines.org.uk]
   source EMC:metformin (product 987)  https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/987/smpc

israelmoh__dev_metformin__IL  2026-07-13  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   Registered in Israel (Israeli Drug Registry): METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE 1000 MG (GLUCOPHAGE XR 1000 MG), current registration 2023-08-20. [Israel MoH Drug Registry]
   source IsraelMoH:metformin (2023-08-20)  https://israeldrugs.health.gov.il/

meta_us_trial  2026-06-29  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   Metformin: US healthspan/longevity trials in progress [NCT06273072]
   source NCT06273072  https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06273072

ctsearch__CH__dev_metformin  2026-07-10  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   metformin: 14 registered trial(s) in CH, highest phase 3 [NCT00261352]
   source NCT00261352  https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00261352

ctsearch__IL__dev_metformin  2026-07-10  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   metformin: 25 registered trial(s) in IL, highest phase 3 [NCT02787551]
   source NCT02787551  https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02787551

ctsearch__JP__dev_metformin  2026-07-10  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   metformin: 9 registered trial(s) in JP, highest phase 3 [NCT00924573]
   source NCT00924573  https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00924573

ctsearch__KR__dev_metformin  2026-07-10  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   metformin: 95 registered trial(s) in KR, highest phase 2 [NCT00881530]
   source NCT00881530  https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00881530

ctsearch__SG__dev_metformin  2026-07-10  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   metformin: 10 registered trial(s) in SG, highest phase 3 [NCT00261352]
   source NCT00261352  https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00261352

nmpa__dev_metformin__CN  2026-07-13  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   NMPA-approved in China (metformin): 552 domestic approval(s) (e.g. Metformin hydrochloride Tablets, 0.25g, Dandong Yichuang Pharmaceutical, China); 29 imported approval(s). Reference NMPA H21022377.
   source NMPA:NMPA H21022377  https://www.nmpa.gov.cn/datasearch/home-index.html

openfda__NDA021591__US  2026-07-13  kind=geography_stage  verify=M
   FDA-approved in the US (METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE); approved, marketed [NDA021591]
   source NDA021591  https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=NDA021591

legal__US__dev_metformin  2026-07-21  kind=legal_status  verify=M
   dev_metformin in US: prescription (Prescription-only medicine (Rx); FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes.)
   source NDA021591  https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=021591