Novo Nordisk’s once-weekly semaglutide injection for the treatment of type 2 diabetes is now available in Bangladesh.
Alongside diet and exercise, semaglutide can either be used alone or in addition to other products for diabetes management, the Danish insulin-maker announced on Thursday.
“More than half of the people living with type 2 diabetes in Bangladesh do not have their condition in control; on average they spend more than seven years uncontrolled on oral medication before treatment is intensified,” said Professor AK Azad Khan, President of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS).
“Being able to offer a medicine such as once-weekly semaglutide with its superior blood glucose control, reduction in body weight, and proven cardiovascular benefits, is a huge step forward in the management of this complex condition,” Khan said.
The clinical data— SUSTAINtrial—shows that semaglutide provides unsurpassed efficacy in terms of blood glucose and weight reduction, helping up to 80% of patients reach treatment target,” said Jay Thyagarajan, Vice President of Novo Nordisk Business Area Southeast Asia.
“As a once-weekly treatment, I believe semaglutide will help address the needs of patients living with diabetes in Bangladesh,” Jay said.
Semaglutide is available in Bangladesh following of a series of clinical trials involving over 10,000 adults with type 2 diabetes.
The results consistently showed greater reductions in both blood sugar and body weight compared with commonly used treatments for type-2 diabetes, as well as cardiovascular benefits, in people with type-2 diabetes.
“Novo Nordisk is playing a vital role in introducing research and development based innovative diabetes treatment to the diabetic patients of this country," said Winnie Estrup Petersen, Ambassador of Denmark to Bangladesh.
"As part of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh's awareness and prevention programme, Novo Nordisk is closely working with the association in creating nationwide awareness and education to address the burden of diabetes," said Md Sayef Uddin, Secretary General of BADAS.
Novo Nordisk, in partnership with Eskayef Pharmaceuticals, has been manufacturing insulin in Bangladesh since 2012.
Transcom Distribution Company distributes the insulin across the country.
Dr. Mahbubur Rahman, director of medical and quality of Novo Nordisk, Kamal Hossain Palok, director of business unit GLP -1 and obesity and Gazi Towhid Ahmed, public affairs manager of Novo Nordisk were present in the programme.
