Investing.com -- Shares of Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) fell 2% following the announcement of results from its STEP UP obesity trial, which showed that Semaglutide 7.2 mg achieved a 20.7% weight loss in participants, and 18.7% regardless of treatment adherence.
The Danish pharmaceutical company reported that the 72-week phase 3b trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating significant weight loss with Semaglutide 7.2 mg compared to placebo. The trial, which included 1,407 adults with obesity, also revealed that 33.2% of patients on Semaglutide 7.2 mg experienced a weight loss of 25% or more, in contrast to 16.7% with Semaglutide 2.4 mg and none with placebo.
Despite these results, Novo Nordisk’s stock experienced a downturn, which may reflect investor concerns over the commercial implications or regulatory prospects of the new dosage. The trial outcomes also showed that the most common adverse events were gastrointestinal, typical for the GLP-1 receptor agonist class, and were mostly mild to moderate in severity.
Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president for Development at Novo Nordisk, expressed satisfaction with the trial’s findings, highlighting the significant weight loss and patient outcomes with the higher dose of Semaglutide. He noted that the results bolster the drug’s profile for obesity treatment and its established health benefits, such as cardiovascular risk reduction seen with the currently available Wegovy® (Semaglutide 2.4 mg).
The company expects to present detailed results from the STEP UP trial at a scientific conference in 2025 and is awaiting outcomes from a second phase 3 trial of Semaglutide 7.2 mg in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity within the next few months.
Wegovy® is already available in the EU and the US for weight management in adults and certain pediatric patients, with additional indications for reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in adults with established cardiovascular disease.
The decline in Novo Nordisk’s stock price may reflect market uncertainty at the moment, as investors digest the implications of the trial results and anticipate further data from the upcoming STEP UP T2D trial.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.