Focus on NovoNordisk

NovoNordisk is the world leader in diabetes treatment - and although it has competition in this segment from Eli Lilly, it is widely acknowledged to provide patients a better alternative (controls on blood sugar levels and blood pressure, weight loss) than most of its rivals.

In these despondent times for global industry (including the pharma sector), NovoNordisk is a beacon of hope - and rightly so, for it is onto something BIG!

Scheduled for release in H1, 2009 in the US, UK and Germany, after it secured approval from the FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), Liraglutide is going to change the whole way diabetes is treated', according to Viggo Birch, NovoNordisk's UK MD. Why? Well, according to Birch, its an intelligent hormone drug which stimulates beta cell production when exposed to glucose intake and then signals the pancreas to produce insulin.

Quite different from the traditional modes of diabetes treatment - where lifestyle changes (diets, exercises) in conjunction with pills, and later insulin are the preferred treatment methods.

In anticipation of the launch, the company is increasing its US sales force significantly, from its existing headcount of 2000. Currently Novo covers 80% of US doctors prescribing injectibles for diabetes, and 75% of those prescribing tablets.

Its not like the company hasn't done its hard work in terms of clinical trials - 6,500 individuals were included, of which 4,200 received Liraglutide in more than 40 countries.

And now its the big bash!

There is a flurry of ads on job sites, both at its Copenhagen HQ and Princeton, NJ for brand and sales related positions - and its obvious the company is preparing for a big push ahead of a significant first blockbuster drug. A departure from the past, as NovoNordisk has always focused on holistic therapies - rather than getting into direct competition with the likes of Lilly in the GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like-Peptide-1) class of drugs.

Birch has moved to the UK and given up responsibility for the Nordic region - and has doubled the UK headcount to 150, such is the expectation ahead of the UK and German launch.

The cost of diabetes treatments account for 7 - 10% of global healthcare expenditure, and if secondary effects are included, (blindness, kidney failure, cardiovascular diseases) then this figure is much higher.

NovoNordisk has always remained focused on treating a chronic disease like diabetes through its Novomix suite of products - but it has never had a blockbuster drug, instead focusing on therapy. Whether Liraglutide turns out to be a cure for Type 2 diabetes (which is creating havoc with health budgets the world over) remains to be seen, but its definitely time for the company to enjoy its moment in the sun in 2009.

Japan is next on the global bandwagon, but for now, the spotlight's on the US and UK / Germany.

Watch this space for more news on NovoNordisk and Liraglutide, as the story unfolds.



- oRiOn

Further reading:

http://www.novonordisk.com/include/asp/exe_news_attachment.pdf?sAttachmentGUID=a5e5a0f6-97af-4e0d-baae-9f60e16513fc
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstaruk/pharmexeceurope1208/#/17/OnePage
http://www.investindenmark.dk/visNyhed.asp?artikelID=19522
http://www.novonordisk.com/diabetes/novomix_splash.asp