We asked Dr Steve Hyer what he had to say about the launch of Victoza by Novo Nordisk.
“The GLP-1 analogues are a novel group of agents for patients with diabetes with the great advantages of weight loss and very little risk of hypoglycaemia. Until recently we only had Exenatide (Byetta) with the problems of being twice daily injections (taken within 1 hour of meals) and nausea. Liraglutide (Victoza) appears to offer advantages in that, in a head to head comparison with exenatide, blood glucose levels were reduced more in patients treated with Victoza and there was less nausea and fewer minor hypoglycaemic events in Victoza patients. It is also once daily and can be taken at any time during the day. The flip side is that these drugs are still given by injection, that experience is still relatively short term (the trial data for Victoza is two years) and the drugs are relatively expensive. However Byetta is positioned within the NICE type 2 diabetes guideline and Victoza will have a full NICE appraisal in 2009/2010. There is also animal data in rodents regarding a form of thyroid cancer but no cases of thyroid cancer have been observed in the 5,000 humans exposed in long-term clinical trials. We need more experience with these drugs to determine their long term place.”
“The GLP-1 analogues are a novel group of agents for patients with diabetes with the great advantages of weight loss and very little risk of hypoglycaemia. Until recently we only had Exenatide (Byetta) with the problems of being twice daily injections (taken within 1 hour of meals) and nausea. Liraglutide (Victoza) appears to offer advantages in that, in a head to head comparison with exenatide, blood glucose levels were reduced more in patients treated with Victoza and there was less nausea and fewer minor hypoglycaemic events in Victoza patients. It is also once daily and can be taken at any time during the day. The flip side is that these drugs are still given by injection, that experience is still relatively short term (the trial data for Victoza is two years) and the drugs are relatively expensive. However Byetta is positioned within the NICE type 2 diabetes guideline and Victoza will have a full NICE appraisal in 2009/2010. There is also animal data in rodents regarding a form of thyroid cancer but no cases of thyroid cancer have been observed in the 5,000 humans exposed in long-term clinical trials. We need more experience with these drugs to determine their long term place.”
A fluid that transports oxygen and other substances through the body, made up of blood cells suspended in a liquid.
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Abnormal, uncontrolled cell division resulting in a malignant tumour that may invade surrounding tissues or spread to distant parts of the body.
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A disorder caused by insufficient or absent production of the hormone insulin by the pancreas, or because the tissues are resistant to the effects.
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A simple sugar that is an important source of energy in the body.
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Prefix suggesting a deficiency, lack of, or small size.
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An abnormally low level of glucose in the blood.
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intermittent claudication
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A gland in the neck that produces hormones with a role in controlling metabolism.
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