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Novo says Victoza bests MSD’s Januvia at lowering blood sugar

pharmafile | April 4, 2016 | News story | Research and Development Novo Nordisk, Victoza 

Novo Nordisk says its diabetes drug Victoza, in combination with metformin, outperformed MSD’s Januvia plus metformin in reducing HbA1c – a measure of high blood sugar.

The 26-week 407-patient LIRA-SWITCH trial assessed the effects of switching from Januvia (sitagliptin) plus metformin to Victoza (liraglutide) plus metformin.

The study showed that patients who switched to Victoza achieved a superior reduction in HbA1c compared to those who remained on Januvia: 1.14% versus 0.54%.

Additionally, adults who switched to Victoza experienced significantly greater body weight reductions compared to those who continued with their sitagliptin dose – at 3.31 kg versus 1.64 kg.

“The LIRA-SWITCH trial results provide valuable insight that adults uncontrolled on sitagliptin may achieve a superior HbA1c reduction with liraglutide 1.8 mg versus continuing on sitagliptin treatment,” says Dr Maximo Maislos, director of Western Negev Mobile Diabetes Clinic Program, and investigator of the LIRA-SWITCH trial. “These findings are valuable, as there is limited clinical evidence to guide treatment strategy when people with type 2 diabetes are uncontrolled on second-line therapy.”

More adults with type 2 diabetes treated with Victoza achieved their HbA1c targets, compared to those on sitagliptin, at 50.6% versus 26.9%. Victoza patients also demonstrated significantly greater reductions in fasting plasma glucose vs those treated with sitagliptin: 1.84 versus 0.73.

Joel Levy

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