Novo Nordisk reports new data demonstrating superior efficacy of Victoza over Januvia in type 2 diabetes

The first head-to-head study comparing Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk's new once-daily human GLP-1 analog Victoza (liraglutide) with a DPP-4 inhibitor, S drug major Merck & Co's Januvia (sitagliptin) showed that Victoza produced significantly greater reductions in HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and body weight than Januvia, with similar or better overall treatment satisfaction, according to an on-line report today in The Lancet.

In addition, significantly more patients achieved the HbA1c targets of <7.0% (american diabetes association [ada]). nearly twice as many study participants on victoza reached the ada goal compared to the januvia group (56% and 44% in the 1.8mg and 1.2mg victoza groups versus 22% in the januvia group).>

'These data clearly show that Victoza at both doses was more effective than Januvia at achieving blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes with the benefit of weight loss,' said Richard Pratley, of the Diabetes and Metabolism Translational Medicine Unit, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, adding: 'With so many patients still struggling to lower their blood sugar, Victoza represents an effective new option.'