Novo Nordisk introduces Saxenda - MOH / FDA approved injection to battle obesity

NOVO NORDISK INTRODUCES SAXENDA - MOH / FDA APPROVED INJECTION TO BATTLE OBESITY

JUNE 18, 2019 @ 6.13PM

(From left): Dr Shweta Uppal, Head of Clinical, Medical, Regulatory and Quality, Novo Nordisk Pharma (M) Sdn Bhd, Richard Abela, Dr Sue Pedersen and Dr Zanariah Hussein at the launch of Saxenda.

Saxenda (liraglutide 3.0 mg), is now available in Malaysia. The Ministry of Health approved prescription medicine is to be used along with reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for long term weight management in adults with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) or overweight (BMI ≥27 kg/m2 to <30 kg/m²) with weight-related medical problems (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, or obstructive sleep apnea).

Obesity affects about 650 million adults across the globe and constitutes a significant public health issue worldwide. In Malaysia, the numbers are similarly alarming. Based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2015, one out of three adults over the age of 18 are overweight, and 30.6% have obesity.

“Obesity is a chronic medical condition that is known to cause serious health complications such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular complications, high blood pressure and even cancers. It is also associated with lower life expectancy and impaired quality of life. Any person with obesity who loses just five to 10% of their body weight will be likely to have significant improvements in health,” said Dr Zanariah Hussein, Consultant Endocrinologist, Hospital Putrajaya.

FDA and EC approved
Saxenda (liraglutide 3 mg) is a once-daily glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue with 97% similarity to naturally occurring human GLP-1, a hormone that is released in response to food intake.

Like human GLP-1, Saxenda regulates appetite by increasing feelings of fullness and satiety, while lowering feelings of hunger and prospective food consumption, thereby leading to reduced food intake.

As with other GLP-1 receptor agonists, Saxenda stimulates insulin secretion and lowers glucagon secretion in a glucose-dependent manner. These effects can lead to a reduction of fasting and post-prandial blood glucose. Saxenda has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission (EC).

Clinical studies
Four large scale clinical studies involving more than 5,000 patients were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Saxenda in weight loss. Studies showed that Saxenda resulted in significantly greater weight loss in patients as compared to placebo.

Nine out of 10 patients lost weight with Saxenda in addition to diet and exercise. Additionally, clinically meaningful improvements in health parameters such as prevention of development of diabetes in people with prediabetes, improvement in diabetes control in people with type 2 diabetes, improvement in blood pressure, as well as health-related quality of life vs. placebo were also seen.

“For most people with obesity, reducing weight and maintaining weight loss is a struggle. Many factors, including genetic factors influence the tendency to put on weight within the context of our obesity promoting environment. In some more severe cases of obesity, we may need to consider invasive treatments such as bariatric surgery. With the launch of Saxenda, healthcare professionals have an alternative option to help patients manage weight and its comorbidities early”, said Dr Sue Pedersen, Consultant Endocrinologist, C-ENDO Diabetes & Endocrinology Clinic Calgary, Canada.

"For people with obesity, it is not just about losing weight, it is about improving their health and enjoying better quality of life,” said Richard Abela, Vice President & General Manager (Malaysia), Novo Nordisk Pharma (M) Sdn Bhd.

“With Saxenda, Novo Nordisk is pleased to offer a treatment option that is clinically proven to help people to achieve meaningful weight loss. This launch in Malaysia is an important milestone in our long-term commitment to improving the lives of people with chronic diseases such as obesity,” added Richard.