Novo Nordisk presents liraglutide data for diabetes patients

Novo Nordisk has announced the publication of data from a clinical study showing that liraglutide reduced blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes when compared to widely used antidiabetic glimepride

The company presented the results of the Lead 3 study – one of five making up the phase III programme for the compound – at the scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association.

In addition to a reduction of glucose, liraglutide also showed statistically significant reduction in body weight, risk of hypoglycaemia and systolic blood pressure compared to glimepride.

Robert E Ratner, vice-president for scientific affairs at the MedStar Research Institute in Washington, said: “This study showed that when used as initial drug treatment for type 2 diabetes, once-daily liraglutide not only statistically significantly reduced blood glucose, weight and systolic blood pressure, but sustained blood glucose reductions for the duration of the study in patients who had never taken diabetes medications before.”

He added that the sustained reduction in blood glucose observed in the trial suggest that the compound could be beneficial when used earlier in the course of the disease.

Last month, Novo Nordisk applied for approval for liraglutide as a treatment for type 2 diabetes in the US and Europe.