Novo Nordisk's Diabetes Drug Tresiba Approved in China

Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk A/S (NOVO-B.KO) said Wednesday its Tresiba treatment has been approved by the China Food and Drug Administration to treat diabetes in China, which it said has the world's highest number of adult diabetes patients.

Tresiba is ultralong-acting insulin that is injected once a day to help control the blood sugar levels of patients. Novo Nordisk said it presents significantly lower risk of low blood sugar compared with widely-used rival product insulin glargine U100.

"There are more adults with diabetes in China than anywhere in the world, and we are delighted that the CFDA's approval brings the availability of Tresiba in China one step closer," said Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, chief science officer at Novo Nordisk, referring to the food and drug administration.

Over 100 million people in China have diabetes, with that number expected to grow to more than 150 million by 2040, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

Tresiba is expected to launch in China in the first quarter of 2018, Novo Nordisk said.

Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com; @domchopping, @WSJNordics

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 27, 2017 04:59 ET (08:59 GMT)