Type 2 diabetes drug Xultophy set for UK launch

Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Xultophy (insulin degludec and liraglutide) has been launched in the UK to treat patients with type 2 diabetes.
Xultophy is a once-daily injection designed to reduce blood sugar and weight among patients. It combines Victoza (liraglutide) – a GLP-1 receptor agonist with Tresiba (insulin degludec) – a long-acting insulin.
The drug was approved for use in the European Union in September 2014, with Switzerland the first country to launch Xultophy in January 2015. It has since been launched in Germany, as well.
In a late-stage trial presentation at the American Diabetes Association meeting on Sunday 7 June, patients who received IDegLira were revealed to have average HbA1c levels reductions of 1.8 per cent. This was compared to those on Lantus (insulin glargine), whose average reduction was 1.1 per cent.
In the IDegLira group, patients lost an average of three pounds (1.4 kilograms) compared to the Lantus group, who gained four pounds (1.8 kg), on average.
Professor John Buse, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, US, explained: “The results demonstrated that IDegLira treatment could positively impact patients who are not in control on their current basal insulin therapy.
“IDegLira patients achieved an end of trial mean HbA1c of 6.6 per cent while still experiencing weight reductio, and had significantly less hypoglycaemia than patients taking higher doses of insulin glargine.”
Patients eligible for Xultophy treatment will be those who do not have adequate blood glucose control through oral glucose-lowering medication alone or when combined with basal insulin.