GLP-1 has a "significant effect" on kidney disease? The "miracle weight-loss drug" has once again proven its worth, as Novo Nordisk's stock price continues to rise.
Novo Nordisk announced on Tuesday that it will prematurely terminate the trial of Ozempic for the treatment of diabetic patients with renal failure, as the interim analysis has shown that the drug is likely to be successful. It is reported that semaglutide, the "miracle drug" for diabetes, is also the active ingredient in Wegovy, the globally popular weight-loss drug by Novo Nordisk.
On Tuesday, the stock price of global leading biopharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk rose and surged more than 5% in after-hours trading.
Earlier, Novo Nordisk announced on Tuesday that it would prematurely terminate the trial of Ozempic for the treatment of diabetic patients with kidney failure, as the interim analysis has shown that the drug is likely to be successful.
According to the company, based on the recommendation of the independent data monitoring committee (IDMC) overseeing the study, the trial will be stopped nearly a year ahead of schedule. It is reported that if the interim analysis provides clear evidence that a drug will either succeed or fail, the IDMC can recommend early termination of the trial.
The Danish pharmaceutical company stated that this trial was conducted to test whether this widely used diabetes drug can delay the progression of chronic kidney disease and reduce the risk of death from kidney and heart problems.
Ozempic's active ingredient is semaglutide, a long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It promotes insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner and inhibits glucagon secretion, significantly improving blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes and with a lower risk of hypoglycemia. Additionally, semaglutide can induce weight loss by reducing appetite and food intake.
It is worth noting that semaglutide is also the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's globally popular weight-loss drug, Wegovy.
Barclays analyst Emily Field stated in a report that the company's decision confirms the view that the therapeutic effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic "far exceed their initial expected purposes."
Since the beginning of this year, there has been strong demand in the market for Novo Nordisk's Semaglutide and weight-loss drugs, making the pharmaceutical company a $315 billion giant.
In September of this year, the company briefly surpassed luxury brand LVMH to become the most valuable listed company in Europe. Since the announcement in August of a large-scale study showing significant cardiovascular benefits of Wegovy, the company's stock price has risen by approximately 17%.