Novo Nordisk A/S plans to publish the detailed data from its key trial looking at the cardiovascular impact of its hit obesity drug at a US conference in November.
(Bloomberg) — Novo Nordisk A/S plans to publish the detailed data from its key trial looking at the cardiovascular impact of its hit obesity drug at a US conference in November.
The Danish drugmaker is targeting the American Heart Association’s scientific meeting in Philadelphia this year to disclose the results, Martin Holst Lange, Novo’s head of development, said in an interview Thursday. Publication at the event is yet to be confirmed.
Findings from the five-year trial released this week showed Wegovy reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 20% for people with excess weight or obesity and a history of cardiovascular disease.
The detailed results will provide more information on the risks for each condition — including heart failure and unstable angina — as well as the likelihood of hospitalization, which could be key for insurers, according to Lange. The data will also provide more information on the longer-term use of Wegovy, also known as semaglutide, for weight loss.
“If we can demonstrate that the risk of going to hospital is reduced with semaglutide treatment, then obviously that’s interesting to payers,” Lange said.
In a separate interview, Novo Chief Executive Officer Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen said it “will be difficult” to fulfill demand for Wegovy because it’s so high and an estimated one billion people are expected to have obesity by 2030.
“These are daunting volumes,” Jorgensen said.
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