Novo Nordisk launches once-a-week diabetes drug
Novo Nordisk, a global leader in diabetes care, yesterday announced the launch of once-weekly semaglutide injection for the treatment of type 2 diabetes patients in Bangladesh.
Alongside diet and exercise, semaglutide can either be used alone or in addition to other products for diabetes management, the Danish healthcare company said in a statement.
The price of the injection will be Tk 14,259, the company said.
"Over 50 per cent of the people living with type-2 diabetes in Bangladesh do not have their condition in control," said Prof AK Azad Khan, president of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (DAB).
"On average, the diabetes patients spend more than seven years uncontrolled on oral medication before treatment is intensified."
Khan spoke at the launching programme at InterContinental Dhaka.
"Being able to offer a medicine such as once-weekly semaglutide with its superior blood glucose control, reduction in body weight, and proven cardiovascular benefits, is a huge step forward in the management of this complex condition."
The injection is an important addition of diabetic treatment, he said.
The clinical data—SUSTAIN trial—shows that semaglutide provides unsurpassed efficacy in terms of blood glucose and weight reduction, helping up to 80 per cent of patients reach treatment target," said Jay Thyagarajan, vice president of Novo Nordisk's business area in Southeast Asia.
"As a once-weekly treatment, I believe semaglutide will help address the needs of patients living with diabetes in Bangladesh," Thyagarajan said.
Semaglutide is available in Bangladesh following a series of clinical trials involving over 10,000 adults with type-2 diabetes.
The results consistently showed greater reductions in both blood sugar and body weight compared with commonly used treatments for type 2 diabetes, as well as cardiovascular benefits, in people with type-2 diabetes.
''Novo Nordisk is playing a vital role in introducing research and development based innovative diabetes treatment to the diabetic patients of this country," said Winnie Estrup Petersen, ambassador of Denmark to Bangladesh.
"As part of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh's awareness and prevention programme, Novo Nordisk is closely working with the association in creating nationwide awareness and education to address the burden of diabetes," said Md Sayef Uddin, secretary general of DAB.
Novo Nordisk, in partnership with Eskayef Pharmaceuticals, a leading pharmaceutical company owned by Transcom Group, has been manufacturing insulin in Bangladesh since 2012.
Transcom Distribution Company distributes the insulin across the country.
Mahbubur Rahman, director of medical and quality of Novo Nordisk; Kamal Hossain Palok, director of business unit GLP-1 and obesity, and Gazi Towhid Ahmed, public affairs manager of Novo Nordisk, were present at the programme.
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