Novo Nordisk, the corporate behind Ozempic and Wegovy, printed a brand new evaluation of the longest research it has carried out up to now by means of the lens of long-term weight reduction.
The 17,604-person research, printed in Nature Medication and introduced on the European Congress on Weight problems in Venice, Italy on Tuesday, confirmed for the primary time that weight problems sufferers with out diabetes maintained a ten% common weight reduction over 4 years after taking Wegovy.
“We see that when the vast majority of the load loss is accrued, you do not return and begin to enhance in weight in case you keep on the drug,” Martin Holst Lange, Novo’s growth head, informed Reuters in an interview.
The findings present that Wegovy is efficient in the long run, over a number of years, supplied sufferers keep on it.
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An extra evaluation launched Tuesday primarily based on the identical information confirmed that Wegovy had advantages for the center, no matter how a lot weight research individuals misplaced whereas taking it.
Wegovy lowered the danger of stroke by 20% in obese or overweight individuals with a historical past of coronary heart illness.
Researchers do not exactly understand how Wegovy’s lively ingredient, semaglutide, protects the center, and are conducting research to grasp it.
“We now additionally perceive that whereas we all know that physique weight reduction is necessary, it is not the one factor driving the cardiovascular good thing about semaglutide therapy,” Lange informed Reuters on Tuesday.
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The information might add to Novo’s case to have its weight reduction medication be extra broadly coated by insurance coverage firms in nations just like the U.S. and the U.Ok.
Nonetheless, there have been downsides to taking Wegovy recorded within the report — about 17% of those that took the drug left the research early due to stomach-related points like nausea.
Novo has made Wegovy obtainable in 10 nations up to now, together with the U.S., Norway, Japan, and Spain, since releasing the drug in 2021. Costs begin at $200 and may attain nearly $2,000 monthly, relying on the nation.
Within the U.S., Ozempic goes for about $936 a month out of pocket whereas Wegovy sells for about $1,350 a month.
Costco created a program in April that provides members direct entry to Ozempic and Wegovy when acceptable, although the remedy price falls straight on prospects or medical health insurance.
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Novo mentioned earlier this month that not less than 25,000 individuals within the U.S. begin Wegovy per week.
