UPDATE 3-Roche gets more positive data on diabetes drug

* Diabetes treatment taspoglutide meets late-stage goal

* Taspoglutide is 1st once-weekly type 2 diabetes treatment

* Roche also gets EU label extension approval for Tarceva

* Stock up 1.5 pct vs 0.7 pct sector rise

(Updates share price)

By Katie Reid

ZURICH, April 29 (Reuters) - Roche's (ROG.VX) diabetes treatment taspoglutide has met its goal in a late-stage trial, bringing it a step closer to regulatory approval as the Swiss drugmaker seeks to boost its position in the fast-growing diabetes market.

Roche said the trial showed that the type-2 diabetes treatment, which patients would take just once a week, showed blood glucose levels were better controlled after 24 weeks compared with a placebo.

Roche has now reached its primary endpoints in six out of eight late-stage trials for taspoglutide and will present more data on the treatment at the American Diabetes Association conference in June.

"The data adds to the existing body of evidence that the drug works," said Helvea analyst Karl-Heinz Koch.

"The profile of the drug is good and it will be interesting to look out for more data at the ADA conference."

At 1024 GMT, Roche stock was trading 1.5 percent higher, outperforming a 0.7 percent rise in the European pharmaceuticals sector .SXDP.

Roche has said this medicine could see peak sales of at least 2 billion Swiss francs ($1.84 billion) if launched.

ONCE-A-WEEK TREATMENT

Type 2 diabetes, which is often caused by obesity, is the most common form of the disease and affects more than 180 million adults worldwide. By 2030 more than 360 million people are expected to suffer from it, according to Roche.

This form of diabetes, which currently requires daily treatment, can lead to cardiovascular diseases, stroke, blindness, amputations and kidney failure if it is not controlled.

"Roche is really competing on how often patients have to take the medication and by bringing out a once-weekly treatment they look set to win market share from Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) once daily Victoza. What Roche is developing is really cutting edge," Helvea's Koch said.

Roche exercised its licensing option from Ipsen (IPN.PA) in 2006 and acquired exclusive worldwide rights to develop and market taspoglutide, except in Japan where these rights are shared with Teijin and in France where Ipsen has retained co-marketing rights.

Roche, the world's largest maker of cancer drugs, is seeking to bolster its position outside oncology and has said at least seven of its experimental drugs have blockbuster potential.

Earlier this month, it strengthened its diabetes portfolio by buying insulin patch pump developer Medingo.[ID:nLDE63C04N]

The T-emerge 3 study tested taspoglutide as an add-on therapy to existing diabetes treatments metformin and pioglitazone, the company said in a statement on Thursday.

The group also said on Thursday its blockbuster lung cancer pill Tarceva had won label extension approval in the European Union for the maintenance treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer that remained largely unchanged.

The drug, which is co-marketed by OSI Pharmaceuticals OSIP.O, was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this month. [ID:nN16168556]

Tarceva, which brought in sales of $1.2 billion last year, had already won regulatory approval for treating lung cancer that had worsened following at least one chemotherapy regimen. (Editing by Jon Loades-Carter and Karen Foster) ($1=1.085 Swiss Franc)