Dive Brief:
- With a target of $1 billion in annual sales, Novo reportedly is sending out 500 reps to spread the word about Saxenda (liraglutide [rDNA origin injection]), indicated for the treatment of obesity, to physicians who treat overweight patients, including diabetologists and endocrinologists.
- Novo Nordisk, which is known for its extensive diabetes franchise, is putting 1/6 of its sales force on Saxenda.
- Saxenda is the reformulated version of Novo's blockbuster diabetes drug Victoza (liraglutide).
Dive Insight:
By bringing Saxenda to market, Novo is providing a treatment option that offers a higher dose of liraglutide, as well as compelling data to help physicians understand the potential upside for their patients.
Based on clinical trials, adding Saxenda to diet and exercise helped 92% of patients lose weight, compared with 62% of placebo patients. Overall, Saxenda patients lost an average of 9.2% of their body weight.
This is all good news. But Novo still needs to get payers on board for higher prices, while working to dispel any negative attitudes that physicians have towards weight-loss drugs.