Novo Nordisk Receives Marketing Authorisation For Victoza

European Commission has granted marketing authorisation for Novo Nordisk’ Victoza, for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults. The authorisation covers all 27 EU member states.

Victoza is the brand name approved in Europe for liraglutide, the once-daily human Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Mads Thomsen, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer of Novo Nordisk, said: This is an important milestone for Novo Nordisk and for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In clinical studies involving more than 6,500 people with type 2 diabetes, Victoza has been shown to have a significant blood glucose-lowering effect and lead to weight loss, while having a low risk of hypoglycaemia. On this background, we are convinced that Victoza is a valuable new treatment option for people with type 2 diabetes.

Novo Nordisk would launch Victoza in the UK, Germany and Denmark during the summer, and in other European markets during the second half of 2009 and throughout 2010.