Victoza launched

Novo Nordisk, launched Victoza(generic name: Liraglutide) for treating adults with type 2 diabetes in Sri Lanka recently.

People with diabetes experience raised blood sugar because of either a partial or complete reduction of insulin production in their body.

The two types of diabetes that is prevalent in patients are type 1 and type 2. Most people with diabetes (90-95 percent) have type 2, where the pancreas produces insufficient quantities of insulin and/or the insulin has a reduced effect on the muscle and liver cells for regulating blood sugar levels.

Prevalence of diabetes in adults over 20 years

One in five adults suffer from either diabetes or pre-diabetes and one-third of those with diabetes are undiagnosed.

"Victoza(r)" is Novo Nordisk's treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus, . Almost half of the patients currently on medication for type 2 diabetes fail to achieve healthy blood sugar levels.

For patients with type 2 diabetes who are not able to achieve healthy blood sugar levels with common first-line drug (metformin), treatment with Victoza(r) provides a number of benefits including reduction in blood sugar levels" said Dr Srishyla, who heads medical affairs at Novo Nordisk for their Sri Lankan operations.