A new obesity drug, Wegovy, slashed the risk of serious heart problems by 20 percent in a large trial, the drug’s maker said on Tuesday, a finding that could put pressure on insurers to cover the in-demand treatment.
The trial — the first to demonstrate that one of the new class of obesity drugs could also shore up patients’ heart health — reinforced the scientific consensus that obesity brings with it medical risks like heart attacks and strokes.
And it bolstered the idea that those obesity drugs can deliver long-term health benefits in addition to helping patients lose weight.
The drug’s maker, Novo Nordisk, reported only its top-line findings from the trial on Tuesday and not details about how Wegovy affected the risk of individual cardiovascular complications or patients’ weight.
The data has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Organizations:
Novo Nordisk