STAT+: Novo’s obesity drug Wegovy lowers cardiovascular risk by 20%, landmark trial finds
Novo Nordisk’s obesity drug Wegovy cut the risk of major heart complications by 20% in a closely-watched trial, results that could streamline insurance coverage and spur even greater demand for the highly popular therapy.
The milestone Select trial of about 17,500 patients is the first to show that an obesity medication leads to long-term cardiovascular benefits. The company only reported the topline figure in a press release Tuesday, and did not break out the reductions in heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular deaths. But the 20% reduction was greater than many observers were expecting. In a research note Tuesday, Jefferies analysts called the results a “best case” outcome.
The trial is a major win for Novo, as well as for other companies developing related obesity treatments — a sector that’s exploded in recent years. They now have data to point to to argue that their drugs aren’t just cosmetic products that help people shed pounds, but are medicines that can improve health over years.
