Novo Nordisk hosts World Diabetes Day 2024 symposium

Novo Nordisk Pharma Korea held the “Novo Nordisk World Diabetes Day 2024 Symposium” on Nov. 11.

The symposium, designed to commemorate World Diabetes Day (WDD) on Nov. 14, discussed diabetes management and lifestyle improvement. According to the company, about 780 Korean specialists attended.

Korean Diabetes Association (KDA) Chairman Cha Bong-soo chaired the workshop.

In the first session, Professor Park Se-eun of the Endocrinology Department at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital delivered a lecture on “Optimizing Patient Outcomes with the Initiation of IDegLira,” focusing on the clinical significance of Xultophy FlexTouch Inj. for glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Professor Park noted that the prevalence of diabetes among adults aged 30 and over in Korea increased rapidly to reach 16.7 percent in 2020, but the insulin treatment rate among all diabetes patients was only 7.5 percent in 2019-2020. This emphasizes that a holistic and multifaceted approach is important for the glycemic management of diabetes patients in Korea.

“The once-daily Xultophy FlexTouch Inj. (insulin degludec/liraglutide) showed a reduction in HbA1c levels from baseline at week 26 in the DUAL trial,” Park said of the key clinical evidence for fixed-ratio combinations (FRC) in Korea.

In the second session, Professor Kwak Soo-heon of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Seoul National University Hospital delivered a lecture on “Leveraging Digital Healthcare Tools: Enhancing Patient Care in Diabetes Management.”

Recently, diabetes management based on digital technology and data has been gaining attention in the Korean medical field. Against this backdrop, Novo Nordisk launched Mallya. This smart cap was connected to the insulin FlexTouch Pen in Korea last September.

“Mallya, a smart cap that works with insulin FlexTouch Pen, transmits the user's insulin administration information to a mobile app, allowing users to manage their insulin administration records as data,” Professor Kwak said. “Patients can share their insulin administration records with medical staff via the Mallya-linked mobile app, facilitating better communication.”

In the panel discussion session, Professor Choi Sung-hee of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital and Professor Kim So-hun of the Department of Endocrinology at Inha University Hospital shared their perspectives on the content of the lecture, the criteria for selecting the appropriate drug for each type of patient, how to manage diabetes through smart caps for insulin pens, and the benefits of diversifying treatment options.

KDA Chairman Cha said, "This symposium is significant in that it was held at a time when there is a need for a thorough clinical review of various treatment options for patients."

Novo Nordisk Korea General Manager Sasha Semienchuk said, “We are very pleased to be able to celebrate World Diabetes Day this year with healthcare providers who are dedicated to research and treatment for people with diabetes in Korea."

“For more than 100 years, Novo Nordisk has played a leading role in research and development of new medicines to treat diabetes,” he added. “With a focus on prevention and management of diabetes, Novo Nordisk will continue to take an even higher level of responsibility and lead innovation for healthcare providers and patients in Korea.”

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is the world's largest diabetes awareness campaign, which began in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Novo Nordisk Korea has been organizing various events to commemorate WDD every year.