The EC has approved an update to the Victoza® (liraglutide) EU label that expands the indication to reflect both improving blood sugar and cardiovascular (CV) events as integral parts of type 2 diabetes treatment.
Victoza® is the only GLP-1 that is proven to prevent CV events in people with type 2 diabetes and high CV risk.
The updated label includes results from the LEADER trial, which demonstrated that Victoza® statistically significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (heart attack) or non-fatal stroke by 13% versus placebo, when added to standard of care. The overall risk reduction was derived from a statistically significant 22% reduction in cardiovascular death with Victoza® treatment versus placebo and non-significant reductions in non-fatal myocardial infarction and non-fatal stroke.
“Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death for people with type 2 diabetes and requires treatment strategies that can tackle both blood glucose and cardiovascular risk to help improve outcomes,” said Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, executive vice president and chief science officer of Novo Nordisk. “The European Commission’s approval of the expanded Victoza® label enables physicians to provide their patients with the only GLP-1 proven to prevent cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk.”
About Victoza®Victoza® (liraglutide)
is a human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue with an amino acid sequence 97% similar to endogenous human GLP-1. Victoza® was approved in the EU in 2009 and is commercially available in more than 95 countries, treating more than 1 million people with type 2 diabetes globally. In Europe, Victoza® is indicated for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes together with diet and exercise, as monotherapy when metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance or contraindications and in addition to other medicinal products for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In the US, Victoza® was approved in 2010 as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve blood glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes.
About the LEADER trial
LEADER was a multicentre, international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the long-term (3.5-5 years) effects of Victoza® (liraglutide) compared to placebo, both in addition to standard of care, in people with type 2 diabetes at high risk of major cardiovascular events. Standard of care was comprised of lifestyle modifications, glucose-lowering treatments and cardiovascular medications.
The landmark LEADER trial was initiated in September 2010 and randomised 9,340 people with type 2 diabetes from 32 countries. The primary endpoint was the first occurrence of a composite cardiovascular outcome comprising cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack or non-fatal stroke.
Media:
Anne Margrethe Hauge
+45 3079 3450
amhg@novonordisk.com
Ken Inchausti (US)
+1 609 786 8316
kiau@novonordisk.com
Investors:
Peter Hugreffe Ankersen
+45 3075 9085
phak@novonordisk.com
Hanna Ögren
+45 3079 8519
haoe@novonordisk.com
Anders Mikkelsen
+45 3079 4461
armk@novonordisk.com
Kasper Veje (US)
+1 609 235 8567
kpvj@novonordisk.com
