Liragltuide Data Presented at NMA

Filed in archive Developments , Research , Treatment on July 30, 2009

African Americans are 1.6 times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites, and almost 15% of all African Americans aged 20 years or older have diabetes. On top of this, despite the wide range of currently available treatments, effective new treatment options are needed because 40 percent of people with diabetes fail to achieve their blood sugar goals.

At the National Medical Association meeting, interesting data, specific to the African American population, was presented for liraglutide - an investigational diabetes treatment (Victoza by Novo Nordisk).

Data showed that when taken by itself, once-daily liraglutide leads to statistically significant and sustained reductions in blood sugar and weight in African Americans with type 2 diabetes, as compared to glimepiride.

"...when taken by itself, once-daily liraglutide, an investigational treatment for type 2 diabetes, leads to statistically significant and sustained reductions in blood sugar and weight in African Americans with type 2 diabetes, as compared to glimepiride, a commonly prescribed diabetes treatment.

In addition to lowering blood sugar, after 52 weeks of treatment with 1.8 mg of liraglutide, mean body weight decreased by 2.98 kg (or 6.57 lbs), and with 1.2 mg of liraglutide, mean body weight decreased by 0.71 kg (or 1.54 lbs), compared to a slight decrease in weight in the glimepiride group of 0.50 kg (or 1.10 lbs)."

Read more from Novo Nordisk.