Novo Nordisk reports positive data from new trial of NovoEight

Novo Nordisk has announced positive data from a new clinical trial of recombinant coagulation factor VIII (rFVIII) product NovoEight, a treatment for haemophilia A.

Data from the Guardian 2 study revealed the drug is able to deliver long-term efficacy in preventing and treating bleeds without inhibitor development in previously treated patients with haemophilia A, when used as a preventative treatment.

More than 210 patients were involved in the Guardian 2 trial, which came as part of the wider Guardian programme, one of the largest and most comprehensive pre-registration clinical trial programmes in haemophilia.

NovoEight is the first new rFVIII molecule in more than a decade and was approved in Europe for the first time last November.

Study investigator Dr Margareth Ozelo of the University of Campinas in Sao Paulo said: "Reducing the number of bleeding episodes is a key consideration, as they are very painful and frightening for patients and caregivers and can lead to severe long-term joint damage or arthropathy."

Earlier this month, Novo Nordisk announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2014, during which it achieved year-on-year growth of seven percent in local currency terms.