Strong new data on Novo Nordisk's Victoza and Lilly/Amylin's Bydureon presented at EADS

A significantly higher proportion of patients reached the target for blood sugar control (HbA1c target <7%) when Danish insulin giant Novo Nordisk’s (NVO: N) Victoza (liraglutide [rDNA origin] injection) was administrated early in the treatment of type 2 diabetes to patients who had not received treatment before or previously only one oral anti-diabetic drug (OAD), according to new data presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) now taking place in Lisbon, Portugal.

Another study also presented at the EASD meeting shows that patients who switched from oral therapy with sitagliptin (Merck & Co’s Januvia) to once-daily injectable therapy with Victoza had an increase in overall treatment satisfaction. Victoza, which Novo Nordisk says is the first and only human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue that is 97% similar to endogenous human GLP-1, was approved by US and European regulators last year and, in the first half of 2011 generated revenues of 2.53 Danish kroner ($465.9 million) for the company, meaning it is well into its blockbuster sales espectations.

In a 26-week, pooled sub-group analysis (n=4626), Victoza administration to patients who had not received any treatment before or previously received only one OAD produced greater glycemic efficacy than in patients taking two or more OADs. Findings showed 72% of patients treated early with Victoza 1.8mg achieved EASD HbA1c target of <7% compared with those treated late (49%; p<0.0001). Findings also suggest early use with Victoza provides greater clinical benefit and potential improvement in beta-cell function, compared with Victoza treatment later in the disease process.