Risk of major adverse cardiovascular events significantly reduced with Victoza

Danish diabetes care giant Novo Nordisk (NOV: N) saw its share leap 7% to 52.40 Danish kroner this morning, after it announced positive results from a study of its blockbuster drug Victoza (liraglutide). Sales Victoza rose 34% to 18.03 billion kroner ($2.65 billion) for full-year 2015.

Top-line results from the LEADERtrial, which investigated the cardiovascular safety of Victoza over a period of up to five years in more than 9,000 adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, showed that such risks were reduced significantly,.

The trial compared the addition of either Victoza or placebo to standard of care and met the primary endpoint of showing non-inferiority as well as demonstrating superiority, with a statistically significant reduction in cardiovascular risk. The primary endpoint of the study was defined as the composite outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke. The superior reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events demonstrated by Victoza was derived from all three components of the endpoint. The safety profile of Victoza in LEADER was generally consistent with previous liraglutide clinical studies.