Novo Nordisk's weight loss drug has sustainable effects for 16 months! Novo Nordisk makes a bold investment of USD 23 billion to address global demand

In the past two years, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have attracted global attention, and Novo Nordisk's semaglutide is undoubtedly a star product among them. On June 25th this year, the first semaglutide injection for long-term weight management, Wegovy®, was approved in China for use in adult long-term weight management, quickly attracting widespread attention.

Wegovy® Clinical Trial Results are Promising, with Sustainable Weight Loss Effects for 16 Months

Semaglutide, as the active ingredient in Wegovy® and Ozempic®, brings a new treatment experience to patients with its innovative mechanism of action. As a GLP-1 receptor agonist, semaglutide binds to and activates the GLP-1 receptor, acting on several brain regions related to appetite regulation, helping patients reduce hunger, increase satiety, and reduce food cravings, thereby reducing calorie intake and controlling weight.

The global large-scale clinical study STEP series of Wegovy® further proves its various health benefits beyond weight management, such as reducing waist circumference, lowering visceral fat, improving blood lipids, and delaying the progression of prediabetes.

According to Novo Nordisk, Wegovy® is expected to bring an average weight loss of 17% (approximately 16.8 kilograms) for obese patients. This effect is based on four 68-week Phase IIIa clinical trials, showing significant advantages of Wegovy® in weight management compared to placebo, with sustainable weight loss effects for 16 months.

It is worth noting that in 14 clinical trials covering over 25,000 overweight and obese subjects globally (STEP series studies) and real-world data research, Wegovy® has shown good safety and tolerability, with the most common side effects being mild to moderate, transient gastrointestinal reactions, and no safety risk signals in key areas.

For obese patients, the emergence of semaglutide is undoubtedly a major benefit. Obesity, as a chronic complex disease caused by multiple factors, not only affects patients' appearance and mental health but also significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other serious illnesses. Therefore, effective weight management is of great significance in improving patients' quality of life and extending life expectancy.

Semaglutide Products Successively Approved in China, Investing $23 Billion to Expand Production Capacity

With the increasing global health awareness and the growing number of patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 class drugs, especially Ozempic® (semaglutide injection for treating type 2 diabetes) and Wegovy® (semaglutide injection for long-term weight management), are facing unprecedented market demand.

Novo Nordisk stated to the financial community: "As Novo Nordisk serves more and more patients, the company's GLP-1 class injection product portfolio is facing tremendous market demand. All of the company's production plants are working hard to ensure product supply for existing patients. From 2023 to 2024, Novo Nordisk will invest over $23 billion, the largest investment in the company's history, to expand production capacity and meet the growing market demand

Novo Nordisk has attached great importance to the Chinese market. It is understood that in 2021, Novo Nordisk's once-weekly semaglutide injection, known as Rybelsus®, was approved for listing in China for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults. In January 2024, the oral tablet form, Ozempic®, was also approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults, but has not yet been officially launched. In June of the same year, the first once-weekly semaglutide injection for long-term weight management in adults, known as Wegovy®, received approval from the National Medical Products Administration, but has not yet been launched. Novo Nordisk stated that after listing, it will supply Wegovy® in a well-planned manner to ensure that patients who have already started treatment can continue to receive the medication. At the same time, the company will quickly bring this blockbuster product to the Chinese market to benefit more obese patients.

Currently, Wegovy® has been launched in more than 10 countries worldwide. To meet the needs of global patients, the company is actively increasing the supply of GLP-1 class drugs, responsibly distributing existing product supplies globally, and focusing on the continuity of patient medication and the accessibility of drugs.

Novo Nordisk is committed to providing leading treatment solutions for patients and contributing to the prevention and control of obesity. Based on GLP-1RA therapy, continuous research and development aim to achieve better efficacy, reduce dosing frequency, maintain muscle mass, and ensure the safety and tolerability of treatment plans. Currently, Novo Nordisk is conducting Phase III clinical registration studies on the oral semaglutide tablet in China and has initiated Phase III clinical trials on the combination of semaglutide and the long-acting amylin analogue Cagrilintide to further enhance innovation standards.

As a pharmaceutical company with over 25 years of research history in the field of obesity treatment, Novo Nordisk has been committed to meeting diverse medical needs through innovation. In the future, Novo Nordisk will continue to introduce global innovative products and treatment solutions for Chinese patients with obesity.

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