Novo Nordisk announced positive headline results from a pair of phase 3a trials with once-weekly insulin, icodec, in adults with type 2 diabetes.

The once-weekly basal insulin is designed to cut down on the number of injections endured by people with type 2 diabetes. It is being studied in six phase 3a global clinical trials, known as the ONWARDS program.

ONWARDS 3 is a double-blind 26-week efficacy and safety treat-to-target trial investigating icodec vs Novo’s insulin degludec, branded Tresiba. The trial found that from an overall baseline hemoglobin A1c of 8.5%— a measure of blood sugar — icodec achieved a superior reduction in estimated HbA1c of –1.57% compared with –1.36% for Tresiba.

ONWARDS 4 is a 26-week efficacy and safety treat-to-target trial investigating icodec vs insulin glargine U100, both in combination with mealtime insulin. The trial found that from a baseline HbA1c of 8.3%, icodec achieved a reduction in estimated HbA1c of –1.16% compared with –1.18% for insulin glargine.

Novo says it will share the results from the last remaining ONWARDS program — ONWARDS 5 — in the second half of this year.