Novo Nordisk files for regulatory approval of once-weekly semaglutide in the US and EU for the treatment of type 2 diabetes


Bagsværd, Denmark, 5 December 2016 - Novo Nordisk today announced the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for semaglutide, a new glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue administered once-weekly, for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes.

The submission is based on the results from the SUSTAIN clinical trial programme, which included more than 8,000 adults with type 2 diabetes. In the SUSTAIN programme, once-weekly semaglutide was studied in combination with oral-antidiabetic agents and basal insulin. Semaglutide demonstrated statistically significant and sustained blood glucose control compared to sitagliptin, exenatide extended-release, once-daily insulin glargine U100 and placebo. Furthermore, the cardiovascular outcomes trial, SUSTAIN 6, demonstrated a statistically significant cardiovascular risk reduction compared to placebo, as add-on to standard of care in patients with high cardiovascular risk. In addition, semaglutide demonstrated statistically significantly greater reductions in mean body weight versus comparators. 

Across the SUSTAIN clinical trial programme, once-weekly semaglutide had a safe and well tolerated profile with the most common adverse event being nausea.

"Achieving blood glucose control, weight loss and reducing the risk of cardiovascular events remains a significant challenge for adults with type 2 diabetes," said Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, executive vice president and chief science officer of Novo Nordisk. "We are excited with this regulatory filing, as results from the SUSTAIN programme show that once-weekly semaglutide has the potential to further improve the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes."

About semaglutide
Semaglutide is a new once-weekly analogue of human GLP-1 that stimulates insulin and suppresses glucagon secretion in a glucose-dependent manner, while decreasing appetite and food intake. Novo Nordisk intends to make once-weekly semaglutide available in a prefilled delivery device based on the same technology platform as FlexTouch®.

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Further information

Media:    
Katrine Sperling +45 4442 6718 krsp@novonordisk.com
Ken Inchausti (US) +1 609 786 8316 kiau@novonordisk.com
     
Investors:    
Peter Hugreffe Ankersen +45 3075 9085 phak@novonordisk.com
Melanie Raouzeos +45 3075 3479 mrz@novonordisk.com
Hanna Ögren +45 3079 8519 haoe@novonordisk.com
Anders Mikkelsen +45 3079 4461 armk@novonordisk.com
Kasper Veje (US) +1 609 235 8567 kpvj@novonordisk.com

Company announcement No 86 / 2016 


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