Novo Nordisk pipeline ‘bodes well for future’

Novo Nordisk, the Danish diabetes pharmaceutical company, has hailed the “steady progress” the company has made in furthering its new product development pipeline, with the announcement of three new clinical studies.

The firm has revealed it plans to start a phase II study for liraglutide, a new once-daily human GLP-1 analogue intended as an anti-obesity drug in non-diabetic patients.

Additionally, two phase III studies have been announced, both set to start in 2007. One of them will evaluate the use of NovoSeven in prophylactic treatment of haemophilia patients with inhibitors. The other will use Norditropin, a growth hormone for the treatment of adult patients in chronic dialysis.

Lars Rebien Sorensen, Novo Nordisk’s chief executive officer, commented: “The steady progress in our development pipeline that we have seen during the past year, combined with today’s announcement of three new clinical studies, provides Novo Nordisk with a good basis for delivering attractive growth rates in the future.”

Last month, new data for liraglutide was released, demonstrating the drug’s ability to improve the maximum insulin-secreting capacity of pancreatic beta cells.

Dr Tina Vilsboll of the University Hospital Gentofte in Denmark, said the results were exciting and that the drug could be able to increase weight loss in patients with type two diabetes, while increasing insulin production.