Novo Nordisk Flags away
Flags with the logos of the Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk, manufacturer of the blockbuster diabetes and weight loss treatments Ozempic and Wegovy are pictures, while the company introduces the annual report at Novo Nordisk in Bagsvaerd, Denmark, on February 5, 2025.
Mads Claus Rasmussen | AFP | Getty pictures
Novo Nordisk On Wednesday, the results of the studies in the late stage showed a “significant” weight reduction and tolerability in accordance with its blockbuster-Wegovy injection for his daily obesity pill, since the drug manufacturers have an oral treatment on the market.
The results of the phase 3 OASIS 4 study showed that the oral semaglutid pill led to an average weight reduction of 16.6% after 64 weeks in patients with obesity or overweight and at least one weight-related comorbidity, according to the Danish pharmaceutical company.
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Martin Holst Lange, Chief Science Officer from Novo Nordisk, said Martin Holst Lange, the “Wegven pill”, told CNBC that oral treatment offered patients an important alternative to their existing one-week injection.
“Our task was to show that with the tablet we could get the same effectiveness and the same security and tolerance as possible with the injectable. We have done that now,” said Lange by phone.
“Basically, this means that we can offer the patient the choice between the tablet and the injector, and that will make a difference for some patients,” he added.
The oral treatment of Novo Nordisk is based on the same Semaglutid GLP-1 medication, which supports the company’s existing obesity and diabetes treatments, Wegovy and Ozempic. It has been shown that Wegovy reduces 15% by 15% in patients with obesity or obesity and at least weight-related comorbidity in an earlier novo study.
The pill is currently being checked at the US Food and Drug Administration, which was submitted in February as part of a new drug application. A decision is due in the fourth quarter of this year.
When the company is approved, the pill will be completely created in the United States, since global pharmaceutical companies have increased their US investments in view of the Trump management to increase domestic production.
The pill race of obesity
At the moment, no oral versions of GLP-1S are approved for weight loss on the market, but the competition heats up quickly. Pill treatments are considered an important milestone for companies that want to make the medication more accessible, including those with an aversion to needles.
Analysts announced Reuters on Tuesday that the competitor Eli Lilly‘S Pill, Orforlipron, could quickly be pursued to approval within one to two months as part of the “National Priority Voucher of the Commissioner” of the FDA-a new initiative to promote the goals of the drug development of the Trump administration.
Lange said Novo welcomed “good competition”, but added that it focused on the drug results, including long -term adoption rates.
“We look at the data in this situation,” said Lange. “Semaglutid as a tablet has the potential to offer a weight loss of 17% and a good safety and tolerance profile.”
“What we saw from our competitor is just more than 12% weight loss. And here, too, we cannot make any direct comparisons, but at least we can see a demolition rate, which indicates that Semaglutide may also have one [more] Effective security and compatibility profile. “
In a Phase 3 achievement published on Tuesday, which was released on Tuesday, Eli Lilly said that after 72 weeks in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one comorbidity led to an average weight loss of 12.4% with the highest dose.
Nevertheless, the US drug manufacturer said on Wednesday that his Pill Novo surpassed in the first head-to-head study in which the effectiveness of the two medication was compared in the reduction of blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Both companies have experimented with new so-called next generation drugs, whereby Novo marks the promise of the form of weight loss treatment in its long-effective amylin analogue cagrilintide.
It comes when the Danish company announced plans last week to shorten around 9,000 roles as part of a broader change as part of the new CEO Mike Doustdar who swore to reset the company after weaker growth.
“What we are doing now focuses on our core that is diabetes and obesity. This includes continuous investments in both diabetes and in obesity and, as we have discussed, related comorbidities,” said Lange on Wednesday.
Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify that no oral versions of GLP-1S are currently approved for weight loss on the market.
