Novo Nordisk announces one-year liraglutide data

Novo Nordisk has announce the publication of one-year phase III liraglutide study data in the current issue of the Lancet journal.

Liraglutide is a once-daily human analogue of glucagon-like peptide-1, a naturally occurring hormone in the body.

It operates by stimulating the release of insulin when blood sugar levels become too high and also by inhibiting appetite.

According to the results, the compound produced significant and sustained improvements in blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes when compared to widely-used orally-administered antidiabetic glimepiride.

Furthermore, the drug was found to lead to weight loss, lower rates of hypoglycaemia and reduced systolic blood pressure when measured after 52 weeks of treatment.

Alan Garber, professor of medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology at the Baylor College of Medicine, said: “Publication of this data in The Lancet means that more physicians will have access to these key results on liraglutide’s efficacy as monotherapy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.”

He added administration with the compound results in a range of clinical benefits when used early in the course of the disease, in addition to effective glycaemic control for at least one year.

In May 2008, Novo Nordisk applied for European approval for liraglutide as a treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes.