Ozempic, wide -channel in connection with rare cases of eye diseases

Weight loss injections of the brands “Weitovy”, “Ozempic” are sold in the Achta pharmacy in Mitte, Germany.

Image Allianz | Image Allianz | Getty pictures

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Novo Nordisk 'S blockbuster weight loss and diabetes medication Wegovy and Ozempic are once again associated with unintentional side effects.

In very rare cases, the weekly injections can cause serious eye disease that can lead to a loss of vision, the Security Committee of the European Medicines Agency announced on Friday. It is the first time that a regulator has confirmed the side effect according to previous studies in type 2 diabetes patients, which is associated with the condition with the state, which is called non-arteri-anteri-anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (Naion).

The committee has asked Novo Nordisk to add the eye to the “very rare” frequency of product information for drugs that contain Semaglutid. This is the active ingredient in the Wegovy, Ozempic and Novo Nordisks Diabetes Pill Rybelus.

It is the latest potential concern about popular GLP-1 such as Ozempic and Wegovy, imitating the intestinal hormones to regulate blood sugar and appetite. Despite high price tags and a handful of unpleasant side effects, the demand for drug class has increased that are most common gastrointestinal, such as nausea and vomiting.

For the vast majority of patients, it will probably not be a big problem: According to the committee, eye disease can affect Semaglutid for at least a year for at least a year.

The committee said that people with diabetes who are exposed to Semaglutid, compared to those who do not take it, have a doubt -free increase in the risk of developing Naion.

The eye is the second most common cause of blindness due to optic nervous damage according to glaucoma. It is characterized by the loss of vision due to the reduced blood flow to the front part of the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. The disease typically occurs without pain and affects people aged 50 and over.

The committee said that patients should hire treatment with semaglutid products if they have the side effect. Since December, the results of two Danish studies that Ozempic combine with the disease in diabetes patients have been examined.

In an explanation, Novo Nordisk said that the data “proposed” not “proposed” the data of a causal relationship between Semaglutid and Naion. The company said that the advantages of Semaglutid still outweigh its risks.

However, the drug manufacturer said that it would work with the EMA to update the labels for semaglutid products.

One day before the committee's statement, the GLP-1S was opposed to other potential, eye attorney effects.

A study published in Jama Ophthalmology on Thursday and carried out by researchers from the University of Toronto showed that diabetes patients who consume GLP-1 medication were twice as likely that they developed neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NAMD) like those who do not take any medication.

The study also showed that the longer patients were treated with these medication, the greater their risk of developing NAMD.

NamD, generally known as “wet” AMD, is the less common but more aggressive form of age -related macular degeneration. It is the most common cause of irreversible visual loss in older adults in the USA

The researchers were based on health records from Ontario, Canada. They analyzed almost 140,000 adults with type 2 diabetes to examine a possible connection between GLP-1 use and Nasser AMD. In most cases, the patients received Semaglutid.

Novo Nordisk said that Semaglutids “Effectiveness and Security have been detailed in people with obesity/overweight, with robust evidence of improving health results.”

Feel free to send Annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com tips, suggestions, ideas and data to Annika.

The latest in the healthcare system Tech: Here are the healthcare companies that have created CNBCS Disruptor 50 list

The 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50 list can be found here, and a number of startups for health technology, including transcarent, move away and Rad Ai, made the cut this year.

The award of Disruptor 50 is a ranking list of innovative private companies that drive breakthrough technology in their sector. All private, independently obsessed startups founded after January 1, 2010, could be nominated.

Nominated companies had to submit qualitative information such as descriptions of their core business model, which were evaluated by a team of CNBC editorial staff. They also had to submit quantitative data such as sales and user numbers, which were rated by CNBCS Disruptor 50 Advisory Board and Disruptor 50 VC Advisory Board.

Here are the healthcare companies that brought a place this year:

• #14: Transkarent. Transcarent was founded by Glen Tullman Glen Tullman in 2020 and helps the employees to quickly access care and navigate the services. The company has collected a total financing of 940 million US dollars with an assessment of 3 billion US dollars.
• #17: Health. Sami Inkinen (CEO), Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek founded Virta Health in 2014. The startup helps the patient to manage diabetes and obesity, and, according to the PitchBook, brought in $ 364.5 million with $ 2.1 billion.
• # 23: Oura. This intelligent ring manufacturer collected $ 200 million with $ 5.2 billion. The company was founded by Petteri Lahtela, Kari Kivelä and Markku Koskela and introduced in 2013. The company for consumer and wearable technology is now being managed by Tom Hale.
• #26: Iambian therapeutic agents. The Iambian therapeutics founded by Tom Miller (CEO) and Fred Manby uses artificial intelligence to speed up the pace of discovering and developing drugs. The company started in 2020 and collected 220 million US dollars.
• #37: Formation Bio. Benjamine Liu (CEO) and Linhao Zhang founded the Bio formation in 2016. The company uses AI to accelerate the clinical development of promising drug candidates. According to the PitchBook, it collected 600 million US dollars with an evaluation of 1.7 billion US dollars.
• #41: Rad Ai. This startup uses generative AI to save radiologists time and improve productivity. Doctor Gurson (CEO) and Jeff Chang founded the company in 2018. Rad Ai collected $ 143 million in financial resources with a rating of 528 million US dollars.
• #43: Elevatebio. David Hallal, Vikas Sinha and Mitchell Finer founded the Genetic Medicines Company Elevatebio in 2017. The company has collected 1.3 billion US dollars and is now managed by Ger Brophy. Elevatebio promotes treatments for cancer, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and other diseases.
• #47: move away. This startup uses generative AI to automate clinical documentation, the doctors and nurses handle. Abridge was 2018 by Dr. Shiv Rao (CEO) and Zack Lipton founded and collected 462.5 million US dollars with a rating of 2.7 billion US dollars.

Perhaps not surprising, some of the most important players in the AI ​​have taken the five best places on this year. Anduril, an autonomous defense company, received first place, followed by Openai, Databricks, Anthropic and the Design platform canva.

Together, these five companies took a combined evaluation of almost 500 billion US dollars. A sign of time without a doubt.

Read the list of full Disruptor 50. Read more about the selection process here.

Feel free to send tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Ashley at Ashley.capoot@nbcuni.com.