Novo Nordisk latest data: GLP weight loss drug is also effective for children aged 6-12

Novo Nordisk claims that its weight-loss drug, with the active ingredient liraglutide, is safe and effective for children under 12 years old. Liraglutide is likely to become the world's first drug for treating obesity in young children. Currently, there are no approved drugs on the market for treating obesity in children under 12.

In the latest experimental study, Novo Nordisk, one of the "weight-loss giants" in Denmark, used an injection pen with the active ingredient liraglutide to treat children aged 6-12. Just over a year later, the experimental group's Body Mass Index (BMI) decreased by 7.4% compared to the placebo group. The study included 82 children who had previously received lifestyle intervention treatment without success.

Liraglutide belongs to the GLP-1 class of drugs and can be used to treat diabetes and obesity. Novo Nordisk's other two heavyweight weight-loss drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy, also belong to the GLP-1 class of drugs.

Claudia Fox, the lead researcher and a medical professor at the University of Minnesota, stated that there were no differences between the experimental group and the placebo group in terms of height growth, bone age changes, and puberty issues.

The First Drug for Treating Obesity in Young Children

Currently, there are no approved drugs on the market for treating obesity in children under 12.

Martin Holst Lange, head of research and development at Novo Nordisk, stated that the company will seek approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to expand the use of liraglutide to children under 12.

This makes liraglutide likely to become the world's first drug for treating obesity in young children.

Lange told the Financial Times:

"One in every five children is obese, and one of the biggest factors leading to adult obesity is childhood obesity, so it is very important to provide weight intervention measures for this age group."

In addition to liraglutide, Novo Nordisk is also testing another weight-loss drug with the active ingredient semaglutide for children under 12, which is also the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.

For the over 12 age group, the use of drugs containing semaglutide to treat obesity has been approved, with better weight loss effects than liraglutide. However, semaglutide can cause side effects such as nausea and vomiting, and users' weight will rebound rapidly after stopping the medication.

Competitive and Fast-paced Weight-loss Drug Market

The weight-loss drug market has broad demand and has always been a "sweet cake" in the eyes of major pharmaceutical companies. However, this field is highly competitive, with rapid drug updates.

The latest analysis from data provider PitchBook indicates that the peak value of the weight-loss drug market will reach $200 billion, [despite challenges from competitors such as Roche and Amgen](https://wallstreetcn.com/articles/3721742?keyword=%E5%87%8F%E8%82%A5%E8%8D%AF%E5%B8%82%E5%9C%BA%E5%8A%A0%E9%80%9F%E5%8F%98%E5%A4%A9%EF%BC%9F%E7%BD%97%E6%B0%8F%E9%A6%96%E6%89%B9%E5%87%8F%E8%82%A5%E8%8D%AF%E8%AE%A1%E5%88%92%E6%AF%94%E5%B The 8% market share is expected to grow faster, but in the short term, Novo Nordisk and another weight-loss "duo" Li-Lai will continue to dominate this field.

At a diabetes conference in Madrid, Novo Nordisk announced early trial data for a daily oral drug called amycretin, which combines the effects of GLP-1 and amylin (a hormone in the pancreas that regulates appetite). Patients taking the maximum dose in the experimental group lost 13% of their weight in three months, with no weight loss plateau. Although Novo Nordisk emphasized that this data is still in the early stages of research, Lange stated that the drug has "potential comparable to CagriSema".

CagriSema is another drug from Novo Nordisk in late-stage trials, expected to provide a 25% weight loss effect, while Wegovy's weight loss effect is about 15%, and Li-Lai's Mounjaro drug's weight loss effect is about 20%.

Currently, consumers are very interested in oral weight-loss drugs, and Novo Nordisk and Li-Lai are both seeking to develop more and more effective oral medications to expand the market.

Lange stated that oral weight-loss drugs need higher doses of active ingredients than injectable weight-loss drugs, putting pressure on the company's supply chain. Due to high demand for the drugs, Wegovy and Ozempic have experienced shortages multiple times