Biotech
Monday, November 13th, 2023 7:07 pm EDT
Key Points
- Cardiovascular Benefits of Wegovy: Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy demonstrated a substantial reduction in the risk of serious cardiovascular complications in individuals with obesity and heart disease, as evidenced by the Select study involving approximately 17,500 participants. The trial focused on people without diabetes and revealed that weekly injections of Wegovy reduced the overall risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular causes by 20%. This represents a significant advancement, particularly in the context of chronic obesity management, and opens up a promising new frontier for the drug.
- Insurance Coverage and Market Implications: The positive findings from the trial could have a transformative impact on insurance coverage for Wegovy and similar GLP-1 agonists. Expanded insurance coverage has been a major obstacle for these drugs, and the demonstrated cardiovascular benefits may address this barrier, potentially leading to broader utilization of Wegovy as an anti-obesity medication. Furthermore, the results could play a role in helping Novo Nordisk maintain its lead over competitors, particularly Eli Lilly, whose recently approved weight-loss drug Zepbound has shown effectiveness in weight loss but has not yet demonstrated cardiovascular benefits.
- Trial Results and Considerations: The trial results highlighted a 28% reduction in the risk of non-fatal heart attacks with Wegovy over the five-year study period. Additionally, there was a smaller 7% reduction in non-fatal strokes. Notably, Wegovy exhibited a reduction in overall cardiovascular events within months of participants starting the drug, even before significant weight loss occurred. This intriguing finding suggests that both weight loss and the drug itself may contribute to improved heart health. The study also indicated a 73% reduction in the progression to diabetes among participants with prediabetes, suggesting a potential early treatment application for Wegovy. However, the study acknowledged certain limitations, including the relatively high discontinuation rate (almost 17%) due to gastrointestinal issues, as well as the study’s lack of diversity, with a predominantly male and white participant base. Despite these limitations, doctors anticipate increased adoption of Wegovy based on the positive cardiovascular and metabolic effects observed in the trial.
Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy has demonstrated significant cardiovascular benefits for individuals with obesity and heart disease in the Select study, a trial involving around 17,500 participants. This trial focused on individuals without diabetes, and the results showed that weekly injections of Wegovy reduced the overall risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular causes by 20%. The detailed trial results were presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The findings are noteworthy as they indicate the potential for Wegovy to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular complications, presenting a groundbreaking aspect in the field of obesity management. Dr. Robert Kushner, a professor of medicine in endocrinology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a participant in the study, emphasized that this is the first time a medication approved for chronic obesity management can be considered life-saving.
The data from the trial could have significant implications, potentially expanding insurance coverage for Wegovy. Insurance coverage has been a hurdle for this drug and similar GLP-1 agonists in the past. The findings may also contribute to a broader adoption of Wegovy as an anti-obesity drug.
Moreover, the results may help Novo Nordisk maintain its lead over competitors, particularly Eli Lilly, which recently gained approval for its weight-loss drug Zepbound. While Zepbound has shown effectiveness in promoting weight loss, it has not yet demonstrated an impact on cardiovascular outcomes. The data from the Wegovy trial, indicating a reduction in the risk of non-fatal heart attacks by 28%, could position Wegovy favorably in the eyes of insurance companies, as reducing cardiovascular events becomes a crucial factor in drug selection.
The trial also revealed that Wegovy started showing a reduction in overall cardiovascular events within months of participants starting the drug, even before significant weight loss occurred. This finding suggests that both weight loss and the drug itself could be contributing to improved heart health.
However, the study had its limitations, including a lack of diversity among participants. The results showed that almost 17% of individuals receiving Wegovy discontinued the drug due to gastrointestinal issues, such as vomiting and diarrhea. Despite this, the control group experienced more serious adverse events.
In conclusion, the cardiovascular benefits demonstrated by Wegovy in this trial could mark a significant advancement in the treatment of obesity, potentially leading to increased adoption and reshaping the landscape of anti-obesity medications.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/11/weight-loss-drug-wegovy-slashes-risk-of-serious-heart-complications.html
