Novo Nordisk weighs diabetes drug's use in fatty liver disease

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk is looking into recent clinical trial data that show its diabetes drug Victoza has potential as a treatment for fatty liver disease, a hot area for pharmaceutical development. Research from Britain's University of Birmingham showed last month that the drug, also known as liraglutide, resolved fatty liver disease in more than a third of patients in a small Phase II study. The Danish company, the world's largest insulin maker, was evaluating the new research, a company spokeswoman said on Monday. "It is very interesting, we are looking into it and we will get back if we decide to do anything," said media relations manager Mette Kruse Danielsen. If Novo decides to pursue the use of Victoza for the condition, it could become a notable competitor in a market where many companies are now racing to develop treatments. Frontrunners include Gilead Sciences, Intercept Pharmaceuticals and Genfit. If approved, each of their drugs could reap sales of $10 billion annually, Reuters reported last year. [ID:nL1N0SX39H] About 30 percent of U.S. citizens now suffer from fatty liver diseases, such as NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), fueled by obesity, diabetes and over-indulgent lifestyles, according to the American Liver Foundation. Without treatment, sufferers can develop advanced damage, including the scarring known as fibrosis; cirrhosis, which destroys liver function; and even cancer. "There was indeed some interesting data from the UK that we are looking into more," Novo Nordisk Chief Science Officer Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen told the newspaper Jyllands-Posten. "It was a very small patient group but I believe it is fair to say that we have been discussing this in management." In the 48-week study, Novo's drug provided effective for nine of 23 patients versus only two of the patients receiving a placebo. Commenting on the data, presented at a medical conference in April, Citi analysts said that a decision by Novo to pursue Victoza as a fatty liver disease drug in a large final Phase III trial would likely be welcomed by investors. Liraglutide is a so-called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). It is marketed as Victoza for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and as Saxenda as an obesity drug. (This version of the story amends headline) (Reporting by Teis Jensen and Ben Hirschler; Editing by Keith Weir)