The Hindu Business Line : Novo Nordisk sees big anti-diabetes launches in 2 years

Clinical trials have begun for Liraglutide that also lowers diabetics' weight; Aerx, which is Novo's version of an inhalable insulin; apart from high-mix insulin analogues, said the NNIPL Managing Director, Mr Melvin D'Souza.

Liraglutide, an engineered version of the human GLP-1 molecule, which is just out in the US, is expected to be a global blockbuster (of over $1 billion sales) while the inhalable insulin, a novel delivery of the drug, has high expectations from needle-pricking insulin users worldwide.

Liraglutide that acts on liver and lowers weight is a big, important drug for the company and could be launched in 2009 with regulatory approval, Mr D'Souza told Business Line. Currently, it is undergoing three studies across 14 centres, while Aerx is being tested for multiple parameters across five centres.

Clinical trials

Both the drugs are part of the company's global trials. Novo Nordisk would focus on conducting large amounts of clinical trials in India, called the diabetes capital because of 33 million diabetics.

Another area it is banking on is the high-mix analogue, which could hit the domestic market in 2007-08.

Alternative to insulin

Pharmaceutical majors have been looking at alternatives to insulin injections. The inhaled version is one such, along with the oral tablet that some, like Bangalore-based Biocon Ltd, are pursuing. Drug giant Pfizer has already released its inhaled version, Exubera, in the US. Novo's would be the other version, expected to come out in 2009.

As for Liraglutide, Eli Lilly has a similar product, Byetta.

NNIPL, which holds 62 per cent of the domestic insulin market and 20 per cent of the total anti-diabetic medicine base, made a turnover of Rs 190 crore for the year ended October 2006, up from the previous year's Rs 170 crore, Mr D'Souza said.

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