WILMINGTON, Del.—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved AstraZeneca’s QTERN for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The new medicine aims to improve blood-sugar-level control in adults with type 2 diabetes who have inadequate control with dapagliflozin or who are already treated with dapagliflozin and saxagliptin.

"Type 2 diabetes is a complex disease that is at epidemic proportions, affecting more than 29 million people in the US alone," said Elisabeth Bjork, the company vice president who heads cardiovascular and metabolic disease medicines.

The drug improves glycemic control through a once-daily tablet.