Key data lift Novo Nordisk's hope of making semaglutide a new standard of care in diabetes

Shares in diabetes giant Novo Nordisk (NOV: N) are up nearly 3% in Copenhagen this morning, on the news of positive data from the Phase III SUSTAIN 7 trial.

The Danish firm is conducting the trial to compare its once-weekly diabetes drug semaglutide with rival GLP-1 therapy dulaglutide, which is marketed by Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) as Trulicity. Both were tested as adjuncts to standard-of-care metformin.

In the 40-week trial involving type 2 diabetes patients, the company says that the lower dose of 0.5mg achieved a reduction of 1.5% compared with a reduction of 1.1% with 0.75mg dulaglutide.