Weight-loss injection to reduce heart attack, stroke risk and cardiovascular-related death by 20%

Novo Nordisk, the most valuable company in Europe with its drugs for combating obesity and diabetes, has announced the results of a comprehensive study on the Wegovy injection. The weight-loss injection was found to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular-related death by 20%. With this development, the $14 billion company is expected to grow even further.

The eagerly awaited comprehensive results of the trial for Novo Nordisk’s obesity treatment drug Wegovy were presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, and the findings were simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The Select study, conducted with approximately 17,500 people, tested Wegovy in individuals with obesity and heart disease but without diabetes. The drug, administered weekly by injection, reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular-related death by 20%.

A doctor from the Endocrinology Division of the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, who participated in the study, stated, “For the first time, a drug approved for the chronic treatment of obesity is being evaluated as a lifesaver.”

During the five-year trial period, Wegovy reduced non-fatal heart attacks by 28%. Although it provided a 7% reduction in non-fatal stroke formation, there were a few cases of stroke observed.

Nearly 17% of individuals using Wegovy in the trial discontinued taking the drug, mainly due to gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhea. This rate is twice as much as the placebo group discontinuing. However, in the control group, more people experienced serious side effects such as heart problems and medical procedures.