NICE revises Victoza recommendation

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has released a revised preliminary recommendation on the use of Novo Nordisk's once-daily injectable human GLP-1 analogue Victoza (liraglutide) for patients with type 2 diabetes. The revised recommendation maintains the positioning issued in February 2010 and includes the recommendation that Victoza is a clinically and cost-effective treatment option under certain circumstances. 

These circumstances are that liraglutide 1.2mg daily is used in combination with one oral anti-diabetic tablet (metformin or a sulphonylurea) for treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes, if:

• they are intolerant of either metformin or a sulphonylurea, or treatment with metformin or a sulphonylurea is contraindicated, and

• they are intolerant of thiazolidinediones and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, or treatment with thiazolidinediones and DPP-4 inhibitors is contraindicated.

The release of the revised recommendation follows a second appraisal committee meeting held in April, and final guidance is expected by October this year. Novo Nordisk will continue dialogue with NICE regarding patient groups that could benefit from liraglutide 1.8mg and to support the use of liraglutide in line with the licence it was granted in June 2009 by the European Medicines Agency (EMA, formerly EMEA).