Study finds Novo Nordisk diabetes drug works better than original

NEW ORLEANS Results of a phase 3 study presented Sunday at the American Diabetes Association’s 69th annual scientific sessions indicates that an investigational diabetes drug works better than a drug originally made by Sanofi-Aventis.

Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk presented data showing that liraglutide was more effective at lowering blood sugar when taken alone than glimepiride, which Sanofi originally marketed under the name Amaryl and is now available as a generic.

In the study, 58% of patients who took 1.8 mg doses of the once-daily drug reached the ADA’s blood sugar target of less than 7%, compared with 37% of patients who took 8 mg of glimepiride once a day.

“The fact that liraglutide continues to effectively lower blood sugar after two years of treatment is consistent with its other long-term clinical benefits such as continued reductions in fasting blood sugar and weight,” lead investigator and Baylor College of Medicine researcher Alan Garber said in a statement. “Even with available treatments, many Type 2 diabetes patients still struggle to control their blood sugar, while losing weight.”