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Replies to #51243 on Biotech Values
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genisi

08/21/07 12:17 PM

#51277 RE: DewDiligence #51243

Liraglutide vs Byetta
The preliminary data indicate that liraglutide's activity is comparable to, or modestly better than, AMLN's Byetta.
Also Liraglutide is taken once a day (vs. twice for Byetta) but i think that LAR will do better than both regarding HbA1c at 26 weeks and weight loss (also weekly dosing). Data from the trial comparing Byetta to LAR will be out in 4Q this year.
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north40000

08/21/07 3:36 PM

#51285 RE: DewDiligence #51243

From an AMLN board: answer to NVO PR spin...

>>The Liraglutide spin.
Today, Novo issued test results on Liraglutide. They somehow got Dow Jones to spin a headline in a way that implies Liraglutide is a weight loss drug. However, the details of the article state that "At the end of the LEAD studies, a weight difference of between 2 and 4 kilograms in favor of Liraglutide was found when compared to rosiglitizone and glimepride treatment respectively." Rather than misleading the world that this means Liraglutide caused weight loss, the proper conclusion should have been: if people take Liraglutide rather than either the TZD rosiglitizone or the SFU glimepride (Amaryl), the weight gain associated with the TZD or the SFU is avoided. Additionally, Liraglutide has been show to provide "... statistically significant better glucose control than rosiglitizone" but, the glucose control for patients on Liraglutide "... was similar to that observed in the glimepride-treated group ...". Therefore, the data just released suggests that patients on once-a day oral administration of either rosiglitizone or glimepride could switch to a once a day injection of Liraglutide to avoid weight gain without making their blood sugars worse. Due to the vastly different study design and patient selection criteria, direct comparisons to Byetta and/or to the LAR version of exenatide require inference. But I interpret the inability of Liraglutide to prove superiority over the SFU's leads me to believe that Liraglutide is likely far inferior to Byetta in both weight loss and blood sugar lowering ability. If Liraglutide is far inferior to twice-a-day Byetta, it hardly makes it into the also-ran category when compared to the LAR version of Byetta that is on the not-too-distant horizon.<<

The TZDs like AVANDIA and ACTOS universally cause weight gain, do they not?