ZURICH (AFX) - Novartis said diabetes drug Galvus showed powerful blood sugar reductions in Phase III studies without the side effects associated with many anti-diabetic drugs.

The Swiss pharmaceutical company said Galvus showed equivalent efficacy to the diabetes medicine rosiglitazone, an insulin sensitizer known as a thiazolidinedione, in a head-to-head monotherapy study that led to an overall 1.8 pct reduction in blood sugar levels.

Results were achieved without weight gain overall and with a lower incidence of edema fluid retention - both of which are side effects commonly associated with thiazolidinedione, Novartis said

The group has submitted Galvus for US and EU approval as a once-daily oral treatment for type 2 diabetes.

Novartis also said that phase II studies of multiple sclerosis drug FTY720 showed significant benefits for patients suffering from relapsing multiple sclerosis, who were treated with FTY720, in development with potential to become the first orally effective compound to help patients with this debilitating neurological disease.

Based on the positive Phase II results, Novartis launched earlier in 2006 a Phase III clinical trials program. afx.zurich@afxnews.com jmt/hjp

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