Novo Nordisk files hemophilia drug turoctocog in USA and EU

Denmark’s Novo Nordisk (NOV: N), the world’s largest insulin maker, has submitted regulatory application for turoctocog alfa (NN7008) to the European Medicines Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration.

The drug candidate is a third-generation recombinant coagulation factor VIII intended for prevention and treatment of bleeding in people with hemophilia A and, if approved, would join a market sector valued at around $5 billion a year. The major treatments for hemophilia A include recombinant factor VIII drugs such as NovoSeven, Kogenate, Advate, ReFacto, Xyntha and Feiba.

“We are very excited about having reached this goal. Turoctocog alfa represents a new treatment alternative for people with hemophilia A and is one of the first important outcomes of the hemophilia research strategy we embarked upon in 2006,” says Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, executive vice president and chief science officer of Novo Nordisk.