OZEMPIC® is now listed on British Columbia PharmaCare for adults living with type 2 diabetes Français
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Dec. 16, 2020 /CNW/ - Novo Nordisk is pleased to announce Ozempic® (semaglutide injection) is now publicly listed under PharmaCare for British Columbia residents. Ozempic® is available for the once-weekly treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to improve glycemic control.1* Ozempic® can also be used with metformin, sulfonylurea and a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) and basal insulin with metformin.1
"This is tremendous news for the tens of thousands of British Columbians living with type 2 diabetes with a history of heart disease or stroke and for those who are struggling with their weight and high sugar despite the usual diabetes medications such as metformin, glyburide, empagliflozin and insulin," said Dr. Tom Elliot, Medical Director of B.C. Diabetes. "The addition of semaglutide to the B.C. formulary just made my job a whole lot easier - the once a week shot is usually painless, easy to learn and offers tremendous benefits to my patients."
Ozempic® was approved by Health Canada in January of 2018. Ozempic® was extensively studied in the SUSTAIN clinical trial program, which involved more than 8,000 adults with type 2 diabetes.1 In the SUSTAIN program, Ozempic® was studied in combination with oral-antidiabetic agents and basal insulin.1
"Type 2 diabetes impacts every aspect of a person's life, and if blood glucose levels remain high, it can be life-threatening," says Vicky Chan, Vice President, Clinical Development, Medical and Regulatory Affairs, Novo Nordisk Canada. "We are happy to be able to continue to support the British Columbia government in their on-going commitments to chronic disease care and offering Canadians living with type 2 diabetes innovative treatment options to manage their disease."
About Ozempic®
*OZEMPIC® is indicated for the once-weekly treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to improve glycemic control, in combination with: • diet and exercise in patients for whom metformin is inappropriate due to contraindication or intolerance. • metformin, when diet and exercise plus maximal tolerated dose of metformin do not achieve adequate glycemic control. • metformin and a sulfonylurea, when diet and exercise plus dual therapy with metformin and a sulfonylurea do not achieve adequate glycemic control. • metformin or a sulfonylurea and a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i), when diet and exercise plus metformin or a sulfonylurea, in addition to an SGLT2i, do not achieve adequate glycemic control. • basal insulin with metformin, when diet and exercise plus basal insulin with metformin do not achieve adequate glycemic control.
Ozempic® is a once-weekly analogue of human GLP-1 designed to mimic natural sugar metabolism by stimulating insulin and suppressing glucagon secretion in a glucose-dependent manner.1 Ozempic® is available in a prefilled pen, based on the latest generation of Novo Nordisk prefilled devices. Ozempic® had a well-tolerated profile across the SUSTAIN clinical trial program with the most common adverse events being generally mild to moderate gastrointestinal disorders, which diminished over time.1
For information about Ozempic®, including important safety information, please visit NovoNordisk.ca or Ozempic.ca.
Ozempic® Warnings & Common Side Effects
The most frequently reported adverse reactions in clinical trials were gastrointestinal disorders, including nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. In general, these reactions were mild or moderate in severity. Please reference the Ozempic® product monograph for additional information.
Ozempic® Coverage
Ozempic® is available through many private insurance plans and publicly reimbursed on all government sponsored drug benefit programs apart from Manitoba.
About the SUSTAIN clinical trial program
SUSTAIN is a global clinical trial program for Ozempic® comprised of phase 3a clinical trials and a cardiovascular outcomes trial, involving more than 8,000 adults with type 2 diabetes.1
Ozempic® demonstrated superior glycemic control versus other treatments: sitagliptin (SUSTAIN 2), dulaglutide (SUSTAIN 7) and canagliflozin (SUSTAIN 8).1 The SUSTAIN 7 trial included 1,201 patients and was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of Ozempic® 0.5mg and 1mg once weekly versus dulaglutide 0.75 mg and 1.5 mg once weekly (SUSTAIN 7).1 The efficacy and safety of Ozempic® 1.0 mg once weekly versus placebo in combination with an SGLT2i was evaluated in SUSTAIN 9. 1
Ozempic® demonstrated cardiovascular safety in SUSTAIN 6. In this trial, there was a 26% cardiovascular risk reduction in Ozempic® treated patients with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk, regardless of event history, gender or age.1
About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as obesity and rare blood and endocrine disorders. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 43,500 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.ca, Twitter, or YouTube.
References
- OZEMPIC(R) Product Monograph. Date of Revision August 21, 2020. https://www.novonordisk.ca/content/dam/Canada/AFFILIATE/www-novonordisk-ca/OurProducts/PDF/ozempic-product-monograph.pdf
SOURCE Novo Nordisk Canada Inc.
Media: Kate Hanna, 905-629-6612 [email protected]
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