Experimental obesity drug a success for Danish company

Nov 20 2007

An experimental obesity drug manufactured by a Danish company appears to be a success.

Drug company Novo Nordisk say the drug Liraglutide, enabled 75 percent of participants in a trial to lose 7 kilograms in weight.

This significant weight loss in obese people was seen in a Phase II trial involving 565 participants; the total weight loss achieved by those taking the drug once a day, ranged from 5 to 10 percent.

Novo Nordisk says even more importantly, the trial showed that 80 to 90 percent of participants who had pre-diabetic symptoms at the start of the study no longer had those same symptoms after 20 weeks on the medication.

The experimental drug is a hormone analogue, a genetically improved modification of a naturally occurring hormone, which stimulates insulin production leading to a feeling of fullness.

Novo Nordisk is the world's biggest insulin maker and the company is developing the drug as a potential treatment for obese and diabetic patients.

Novo Nordisk also produces medication for haemostasis management, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy.

The company is based in Denmark but has production facilities in 6 other countries and employs around 23,000 people.