Novo Nordisk’s Victoza shows benefits for renally-impaired diabetes patients

Novo Nordisk has announced clinical trial data that demonstrates the benefits of once-daily Victoza in the treatment of type 2 diabetes patients with moderate renal impairment.

Results from the study revealed that Victoza provided greater glycaemic control versus placebo with no worsening of renal function among patients in this category, when added to pre-existing oral antidiabetic treatment, insulin or a combination thereof.

This shows the drug can be advantageous for people affected by renal impairment, which is one of the more challenging and common long-term complications of diabetes, due to the fact it limits the use of available antidiabetic treatment options.

Melanie Davies, professor of diabetes medicine at the University of Leicester, said: "Of the therapies available for type 2 diabetes, it is essential we have treatment options specifically for patients with associated renal impairment."

Victoza has been available in Europe since 2009 and has been approved for sale in more than 68 countries worldwide.

It is one of Novo Nordisk's most commercially important products, seeing a double-digit rise in sales during 2013.