Country for PR: United Kingdom
Contributor: PR Newswire Europe
Sunday, June 09 2019 - 01:45
AsiaNet
Oral semaglutide showed superior reductions in blood sugar vs Jardiance(R) and non-inferior blood sugar reductions vs Victoza(R) in adults with type 2 diabetes at 26 weeks
SAN FRANCISCO, June 9, 2019 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

Abstracts 54-OR and 55-OR

Secondary data at 52 weeks demonstrated statistically significant blood sugar 
reductions and statistically significant reduction of body weight vs both 
Jardiance(R) and Victoza(R)

Findings presented today from two phase 3a clinical trials evaluated oral 
semaglutide 14 mg vs Jardiance(R) (empagliflozin 25 mg) in PIONEER 2 and oral 
semaglutide 14 mg versus Victoza(R) (liraglutide 1.8 mg) in PIONEER 4 over 52 
weeks in adults with type 2 diabetes. Data from both trials were presented at 
the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 79th Scientific Sessions. Oral 
semaglutide is an investigational once-daily glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) 
analogue in a pill.

In PIONEER 2, oral semaglutide 14 mg demonstrated a superior HbA1c reduction of 
1.3% compared to a 0.9% reduction with empagliflozin 25 mg for the primary 
endpoint at 26 weeks (p<0.0001) and a statistically significant reduction in 
HbA1c for the secondary endpoint at 52 weeks. Furthermore, for the secondary 
endpoint, the reduction in body weight with oral semaglutide was similar to 
empagliflozin with no statistical differences at both 26 and 52 weeks (3.8 kg 
for oral semaglutide at both 26 and 52 weeks, 3.7 kg and 3.6 kg for 
empagliflozin, respectively).

In PIONEER 4, for the primary endpoint at 26 weeks, oral semaglutide 14 mg 
demonstrated a non-inferior reduction in HbA1c vs Victoza(R) (1.2% vs 1.1%, 
respectively) and a superior reduction vs placebo (1.2% vs 0.2%, respectively) 
in adults with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on metformin, with or 
without a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor. For the secondary 
endpoint at 52 weeks, oral semaglutide demonstrated statistically significant 
reductions in HbA1c vs both Victoza(R) (1.2% vs 0.9%, respectively) and placebo 
(1.2% vs 0.2%, respectively). For the secondary endpoint of change in body 
weight, oral semaglutide demonstrated superior reductions compared to both 
Victoza(R) and placebo at 26 weeks (4.4 kg for oral semaglutide, 3.1 kg for 
Victoza(R) and 0.5 kg for placebo) and statistically significant reductions 
compared to both at 52 weeks (4.3 kg for oral semaglutide, 3.0 kg for 
Victoza(R) and 1.0 kg for placebo). 

In PIONEER 2, the most common adverse event for oral semaglutide was nausea, 
which diminished over time, affecting 20% of people treated with oral 
semaglutide. The nausea rate for empagliflozin was 2%. The proportion of people 
who discontinued treatment due to adverse events was 11% for those treated with 
oral semaglutide compared to 4% for those treated with empagliflozin. 

In PIONEER 4, the most common adverse event for oral semaglutide was nausea, 
which diminished over time, affecting 20% of people treated with oral 
semaglutide. For people treated with Victoza(R) and placebo, 18% and 4%, 
respectively, experienced nausea. The proportion of people who discontinued 
treatment due to adverse events was 11% for those treated with oral semaglutide 
compared to 9% with Victoza(R) and 4% with placebo.

These results are based on the primary statistical approach known as the 
treatment policy (TPol) estimand, which was used to assess the effects of oral 
semaglutide regardless of discontinuation of trial product and/or use of rescue 
medication.

"Despite their proven safety and efficacy, GLP-1 receptor agonists are 
underutilised in clinical care" said Ildiko Lingvay, PIONEER 2 and 4 
investigator and professor at the Departments of Internal Medicine and Clinical 
Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. "As a 
treating physician, I'm encouraged by these findings and the potential of 
investigational oral semaglutide to be the first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist 
available as a new treatment option for people living with type 2 diabetes."

The following results from PIONEER 2 and 4 were also presented today at the ADA 
and are based on the secondary statistical approach. The secondary statistical 
approach is known as the trial product estimand and is used to assess the 
effect of oral semaglutide, assuming all patients remained on trial product and 
did not use rescue medication:

PIONEER 2:

- Oral semaglutide demonstrated statistically significant reductions in HbA1c 
vs empagliflozin at 26 weeks (1.4% vs 0.9%, respectively) and at 52 weeks (1.3% 
vs 0.8%, respectively). 
- Oral semaglutide demonstrated a body weight reduction of 4.2 kg vs 3.8 kg 
with empagliflozin at 26 weeks and a statistically significant reduction of 4.7 
kg vs 3.8 kg at 52 weeks. 

PIONEER 4:

- Oral semaglutide demonstrated statistically significant reductions in HbA1c 
vs Victoza(R) and vs placebo at both 26 and 52 weeks (1.3% for oral 
semaglutide, 1.1% for Victoza(R) and 0.1% for placebo at 26 weeks; 1.2% for 
oral semaglutide, 0.9% for Victoza(R) and a 0.2% increase for placebo at 52 
weeks). 
- Oral semaglutide demonstrated statistically significant reductions in body 
weight vs Victoza(R) and vs placebo at both 26 and 52 weeks (4.7 kg for oral 
semaglutide, 3.2 kg for Victoza(R) and 0.7 kg for placebo at 26 weeks; 5.0 kg 
for oral semaglutide, 3.1 kg for Victoza(R) and 1.2 kg for placebo at 52 
weeks). 

About PIONEER 2, PIONEER 4 and the PIONEER clinical trial programme
PIONEER 2 was a 52-week, randomised, open-label, active-controlled, 
parallel-group, multicentre, multinational trial with two arms comparing the 
efficacy and safety of oral semaglutide 14 mg with empagliflozin 25 mg in 
people with type 2 diabetes, inadequately controlled on metformin. 822 people 
were enrolled in PIONEER 2 and randomised 1:1 to receive either oral 
semaglutide or empagliflozin once daily. The primary endpoint was change in 
HbA1c from baseline to week 26 and the confirmatory secondary endpoint was 
change in body weight from baseline to week 26. Additional key secondary 
endpoints included change in HbA1c and body weight from baseline to week 52.

PIONEER 4 was a 52-week, randomised, double-blinded, double-dummy, active- and 
placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicentre, multinational trial with three 
arms comparing the efficacy and safety of oral semaglutide 14 mg compared to 
Victoza(R) (1.8 mg liraglutide) or placebo in people with type 2 diabetes, 
inadequately controlled on metformin with or without an SGLT-2 inhibitor. 
PIONEER 4 randomised 711 people in a 2:2:1 manner to receive either oral 
semaglutide, Victoza(R) or placebo once-daily. The primary endpoint was change 
from baseline to week 26 in HbA1c. Key secondary endpoints included change in 
HbA1c and body weight from baseline to week 52.

The PIONEER phase 3a clinical development programme for oral semaglutide is a 
global development programme that enrolled 9,543 people with type 2 diabetes 
across 10 clinical trials.

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 95 years of 
innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us 
experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat obesity, 
haemophilia, growth disorders and other serious chronic diseases. Headquartered 
in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 43,200 people in 80 countries 
and markets its products in more than 170 countries. For more information, 
visit novonordisk.com, Facebook[http://www.facebook.com/novonordisk], 
Twitter[http://www.twitter.com/novonordisk], 
LinkedIn[http://www.linkedin.com/company/novo-nordisk], 
YouTube[http://www.youtube.com/novonordisk]. 

References

1. Montanya E, Rosenstock J, Canani LH, et al. Oral semaglutide vs 
empagliflozin added-on to metformin monotherapy in uncontrolled type 2 
diabetes: PIONEER 2. Abstract number 54-OR, American Diabetes Association 79th 
Scientific Session, San Francisco, US; 7-11 June 2019 
2. Pratley RE, Amod A, Hoff ST, et al. Oral Semaglutide vs Liraglutide and 
Placebo in T2D: PIONEER 4. Abstract number 55-OR, American Diabetes Association 
79th Scientific Session, San Francisco, US; 7-11 June 2019

Further information

Media: 
Katrine Sperling, +45 4442 6718, krsp@novonordisk.com
Michael Bachner (US), +1 609 664 7308, mzyb@novonordisk.com
 
Investors:
Peter Hugreffe Ankersen, +45 3075 9085, phak@novonordisk.com
Valdemar Borum Svarrer, +45 3079 0301, jvls@novonordisk.com
Ann Sondermolle Rendbaek, +45 3075 2253, arnd@novonordisk.com
Kristoffer Due Berg (US), +1 609 235 2989, krdb@novonordisk.com

SOURCE: Novo Nordisk