Novo strengthens Wegovy's obesity success with 4-year data

Earlier this year, the FDA approved Wegovy to reduce cardiovascular risks, marking a significant milestone for Novo Nordisk’s popular obesity treatment. On May 14, at the European Congress on Obesity in Venice, new long-term data presented by investigators emphasized the drug's sustained weight loss benefits over four years. The findings, published in Nature Medicine, showcased Wegovy's potential as a long-term treatment for obesity.

The study, known as SELECT, involved over 17,000 overweight and obese individuals with preexisting heart disease but without diabetes. Participants experienced an average weight loss of nearly 10% of their total body weight after 65 weeks of treatment with Wegovy. Remarkably, this weight reduction was maintained over four years, with an average loss of 10.2%, according to the investigators.

This study is the longest Novo Nordisk has conducted on its semaglutide product for weight loss, as noted by Marin Holst Lange, the company’s head of development, during an interview with Reuters. The promising data could potentially unlock an additional $2 billion opportunity for Novo Nordisk, as suggested by Union Investment analyst Markus Manns.

When England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved Wegovy for use on the National Health Service last year, it limited the treatment to a maximum of two years due to uncertainties about its long-term effectiveness. However, the new data could challenge that limitation by demonstrating sustained benefits.

Additionally, another analysis from the SELECT study highlighted Wegovy’s cardiovascular benefits over a five-year period, irrespective of the patients' initial body weight or the amount of weight they lost. Last summer, Novo Nordisk revealed that the study showed a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) for up to five years compared to a placebo. More specifically, Wegovy was linked to a 15% reduction in cardiovascular death risk and a 19% reduction in the risk of death from any cause.

These findings were instrumental in supporting a label expansion in the U.S., making Wegovy the first weight loss treatment to receive FDA approval for reducing cardiovascular risks. This approval represents a significant advancement for public health, particularly for a patient group at high risk of severe cardiovascular outcomes. John Sharretts, M.D., head of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research’s division on diabetes, lipid disorders, and obesity, emphasized the importance of this milestone.

Since its launch in 2021, Wegovy, along with other GLP-1 medications from Novo Nordisk and its competitor Eli Lilly, has seen immense popularity. Last year, the company had to reduce the supply of starter doses due to high demand, but it resumed the supply in January. Novo Nordisk now plans to gradually scale its efforts throughout the year to meet the intense demand while ensuring continuous patient care, as outlined in a recent presentation.

Overall, the long-term data presented at the European Congress on Obesity reinforce Wegovy’s potential as a valuable treatment for sustained weight loss and cardiovascular risk reduction, highlighting its significant role in managing obesity and associated health risks.