Phase III SCALE trial of Saxenda (liraglutide shows benefits in obesityy- Novo Nordisk

New data from the three-year part of the phase IIIa SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes trial of Saxenda (liraglutide 3 mg), from Novo Nordisk, were presented at the Endocrine Society's 98th Annual Meeting and Expo (ENDO 2016). The three-year part of the trial (n=2,254 adults with obesity or who were overweight with comorbidities and had prediabetes at baseline), data demonstrated that 160 weeks of treatment with liraglutide 3 mg (n=1,505) in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity resulted in significant improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors (such as blood pressure and cholesterol) compared with placebo (reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity alone) (n=749). At week 160, individuals treated with Saxenda had lost more weight (6.1%) than those treated with placebo (1.9%) (estimated treatment difference [ETD] -4.3%.

In addition, treatment with Saxenda achieved results beyond weight loss including improvements in some cardiometabolic risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol. At week 160, participants randomised to treatment with Saxenda experienced a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure compared with placebo (ETD -2.8 mmHg [-3.8; -1.8]). Those treated with Saxenda also experienced greater improvements in triglycerides (ETD -6% [-9; -3]) and total cholesterol levels (ETD -2% [-3; 0]) compared with placebo. Additionally, people treated with Saxenda showed a greater reduction in mean waist circumference compared with placebo (ETD -3.5 cm [-4.2; -2.8]). In addition, the three-year part of the SCALE™ Obesity and Prediabetes trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that continued treatment over three years with Saxenda, in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, delayed the onset of type 2 diabetes compared with placebo.