FDA approved two combination therapies to treat Type II diabetes, Xultophy 100/3.6 insulin degludec/liraglutide from Novo Nordisk A/S (CSE:NVO; NYSE:NVO) and Soliqua 100/33 insulin glargine/lixisenatide from Sanofi (Euronext:SAN; NYSE:SNY). Both were approved to treat adults with Type II diabetes inadequately controlled on insulin or a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R; GLP1R) agonist.
Novo expects to launch Xultophy in 1H17. Spokesperson Marissa Sharkey told BioCentury the company expects the wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) of Xultophy to be 20% less than the combined WACs of its components, Tresiba insulin degludec and Victoza liraglutide, which Novo also markets individually to treat Type II diabetes. Tresiba is a long-acting insulin analog, and Victoza is a long-acting GLP-1 analog...