Novo Bolsters Wegovy's Cardio Benefits with Hospital Data Analysis

SAN ANTONIO — Novo Nordisk's popular anti-obesity medication, Wegovy, has been found to help heart disease patients experience fewer and shorter hospital stays compared to those on a placebo, according to a recent analysis. This finding was presented at the annual ObesityWeek conference in Texas.

The analysis was a post-hoc review of Novo Nordisk’s Phase 3 SELECT trial. Earlier this year, the FDA expanded the cardiovascular risk reduction label for Wegovy based on the SELECT trial results from last August, which indicated that Wegovy reduced major cardiovascular risks by 20% and decreased the risk of death from cardiovascular causes by 15% compared to a placebo. This study was significant for GLP-1s, expanding the potential of this blockbuster drug class.

In this new analysis, it was found that 33.4% of patients on Wegovy had a first hospital admission for any reason, compared to 36.7% of those on a placebo. The trial included 17,604 adults without diabetes, testing semaglutide 2.4 mg for up to 240 weeks. Moreover, there were fewer total hospitalizations and fewer hospitalizations for serious adverse events among those on Wegovy compared to the placebo group. Additionally, patients on Wegovy spent less time in the hospital. Specifically, the number of days hospitalized per 100 patient-years was 157.2 days for the Wegovy group versus 176.2 days for the placebo group.

Currently, Wegovy’s label does not include outcomes related to hospitalization. A representative from Novo Nordisk mentioned in an email that they are not able to share their regulatory plans for this data at this time.

The post-hoc analysis could be relevant to discussions about healthcare costs, a major topic among politicians, patient advocates, and others. High-ranking officials, including President Joe Biden and FDA Commissioner Rob Califf, have commented on the price of Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s competing weight management drug, Zepbound.

Novo Nordisk suggests that this new analysis highlights Wegovy's potential financial impact on heart disease patients. Michelle Skinner, Novo's Vice President of Medical Affairs, stated in a press release that this new analysis represents a step forward in exploring how semaglutide 2.4 mg affected repeat hospitalizations and prolonged hospital stays, which are significant issues in terms of healthcare cost and quality.

As the debate over drug pricing continues, the companies involved have managed to improve the supply of these medications. All doses of Wegovy and Zepbound are now listed as "available" in an FDA database, although Wegovy is still officially in shortage.