Novo Nordisk launches Victoza for the treatment of type 2 diabetes

Total Health | August 6th, 2009

Novo Nordisk have announced that Victoza, the first once-daily human Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue which regulates bloodA fluid that transports oxygen and other substances through the body, made up of blood cells suspended in a liquid. sugar in a glucoseA simple sugar that is an important source of energy in the body.-dependent manner, is available for people with type 2 diabetesA disorder caused by insufficient or absent production of the hormone insulin by the pancreas, or because the tissues are resistant to the effects. in the UK.  Victoza is the only human GLP-1 analogue with 97% homology to natural human GLP-1 peptide.

Victoza represents an important advance in diabetes treatment because it helps patients maintain normal blood sugar levels with a once-daily injection that can be taken at any time of day, irrespective of meals.  Victoza works with the body to lower glucose levels by stimulating the release of insulinA hormone produced by the beta cells of the pancreas that acts to lower blood glucose levels. only when glucose levels become too high.  The benefit to the patient is that there is reduced risk of blood sugar becoming too low (hypoglycaemiaLow blood glucose levels.).

Additional benefits

Victoza can help patients achieve weight loss, by increasing satiety and delaying gastric empting, and thus reducing caloric intake.  This is an important factor in treating patients with type 2 diabetes as many patients are overweight. Furthermore, weight gain is a side effect of some common treatment regimens for type 2 diabetes, thus increasing the risk of obesityExcess accumulation of fat in the body.-related illnesses.

"Our goal for the development of Victoza was to find the best way to help people with type 2 diabetes maintain control over their glucose levels in a manageable way with reduced risk of hypoglycaemiaAn abnormally low level of glucose in the blood.", says Viggo Birch, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk UK and Ireland. "Victoza is an important new addition to the portfolio designed to support our mission to defeat diabetes, and we are proud to make this product available to patients in the UK".

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