UK's NICE backs Novo's Victoza with one oral drug

* NICE recommends 1.2 mg drug with one oral anti-diabetic

* Novo says welcomes wider use, still hopes for 1.8 mg okay

LONDON, June 14 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) diabetes drug Victoza, its big new drug hope, has been recommended for use on Britain's state-run health service as a dual as well as a triple therapy.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said on Monday it was now recommending a 1.2 milligram once-daily injection of the drug as a cost effective option for some people with type 2 diabetes, when used with just one oral anti-diabetic tablet.

Previously, NICE had said it should be used with two oral treatments.

The latest position, if confirmed in final guidance in October, means Victoza could be used with either metformin or a sulphonylurea, if patients cannot tolerate one or other of these two commonly used older treatments.

The draft guidance still does not recommend use of the higher 1.8 mg dose of Victoza.

Victoza, also known as liraglutide, has been available in Britain since July 2009 -- but its widespread adoption in the country is dependent on a positive recommendation from NICE, allowing for routine use on the National Health Service.

It belongs to a new class of so-called GLP-1 diabetes drugs that lower glucose levels by stimulating the release of insulin only when glucose levels become too high. It also inhibits appetite.

Victoza costs 78.48 pounds ($115), before tax, for 30 days supply at 1.2 mg per day, or 117.72 pounds for 1.8 mg daily. ($1=.6373 pounds) (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Louise Heavens)