Avanir Pharmaceuticals has entered into an exclusive, multi-year agreement with Merck to co-promote Merck's type 2 diabetes therapies Januvia (sitagliptin) and the sitagliptin family of products in the long-term care institutional setting in the U.S.

Avanir's institutional sales force will promote the sitagliptin family of products to healthcare practitioners in the long-term care institutional setting beginning in October. Merck will remain responsible for the promotion of the sitagliptin family of products in all other settings and will remain responsible for all other aspects of research, manufacturing and marketing.