STAT+: Obesity drug Wegovy gets FDA approval to add cardiovascular benefits on its label
U.S. regulators approved a label expansion for Novo Nordisk’s obesity drug Wegovy to tout its benefits for the heart, a move that could boost demand and insurance coverage for the already highly popular treatment.
The new label indicates that Wegovy can reduce the risk of major heart complications — including heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular-related deaths — for people with overweight or obesity and existing heart disease, Novo said in a statement Friday. It’s based on results of a large, five-year trial, which showed that Wegovy cut the risk of cardiovascular problems by 20% in that population.
Novo said it has also filed for a label expansion in Europe and a decision is expected this year.
