Novo Nordisk has reported Phase III data that reveal its candidate semaglutide improved glucose control and weight loss in type 2 diabetes when compared with Eli Lilly’s dulaglutide.
The results of the SUSTAIN 7 trial comparing the efficacy of Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide with Eli Lilly’s Trulicity (dulaglutide), already in the market, have revealed that Novo’s drug seems to be better at helping patients with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels and reduce weight.
Both drugs are GLP-1 receptor agonists, which induce insulin production and suppress glucagon secretion depending on blood glucose levels. Thus, GLP-1 receptors are currently one of the most coveted targets to treat type 2 diabetes as it can reduce the frequency of injections to one per week.
These results further strengthen the potential of semaglutide, which has already been named one of the most valuable pharma R&D projects of the year by Evaluate Pharma, which expects the drug to reach sales of $2.24Bn (€1.9Bn) in 2022. The FDA and the EMA are currently evaluating the approval of semaglutide based on results from the SUSTAIN trial, which recruited over 8,000 patients with type 2 diabetes.
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