J&J seeks approval of combination diabetes pill

Johnson & Johnson files for FDA approval of its diabetes drug canagliflozin and metformin

NEW YORK (AP) -- Johnson & Johnson said Wednesday that it filed for marketing approval of a drug that combines its experimental diabetes treatment canagliflozin with metformin, an older drug.

The pill is intended to treat type 2 diabetes, in which the body doesn't produce enough insulin or the body's cells don't react properly to it. The company's Janssen Research and Development unit filed for approval with the Food and Drug Administration.

Johnson & Johnson shares rose 14 cents to $71.24 in afternoon trading.