Novo Nordisk's Wegovy wins FDA approval for heart health benefits, in move that could expand insurance coverage

Novo Nordisk's Wegovy wins FDA approval for heart health benefits, in move that could expand insurance coverage


Injection pens of Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drug Wegovy are shown in this photo illustration in Oslo, Norway, Nov. 21, 2023.

Victoria Klesty | Reuters

The Food and Drug Administration approved Novo Nordisk‘s blockbuster weight loss drug Wegovy for use in slashing the risk of serious cardiovascular complications in people with obesity and heart disease, the company said Friday. 

Millions of patients already use the injectable treatment. But the agency’s decision could widen insurance coverage for the drug and similar treatments for obesity, which has been a major barrier to access for patients.

The approval also demonstrates that weight loss drugs have significant health benefits beyond shedding unwanted pounds and regulating blood sugar.

Wegovy and its diabetes counterpart Ozempic sparked a weight loss industry gold rush over the past year for their ability to help patients shed pounds. They are part of a class of drugs that mimic a hormone produced in the gut called GLP-1 to suppress a person’s appetite. 

The approval was based on a landmark late-stage trial called SELECT. The study tested Wegovy in roughly 17,500 people with obesity and heart disease but who did not have diabetes. 

Weekly injections of Wegovy slashed the overall risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular causes by 20%, according to detailed results from the trial Novo Nordisk presented in November.

Wegovy reduced the risk of non-fatal heart attack by 28% in the five-year trial. It produced a smaller 7% reduction in the occurrence of non-fatal stroke, though few strokes were seen in the trial overall.

Wegovy also started to show a reduction in overall cardiovascular events within months after participants started the drug. The difference between the drug and placebo widened as the study continued.

“This approval is an important milestone for people living with obesity and cardiovascular disease,” Martin Holst Lange, head of development at Novo Nordisk, said in a release.

The new data could also help the Danish drugmaker maintain its lead over Eli Lilly, whose competing weight-loss drug Zepbound was approved in the U.S. in November. Zepbound has been shown to help people lose more weight, but it has yet to demonstrate an effect on cardiovascular outcomes. 

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.



Source

Airport lounges, Europe and premium class are on the table, Southwest CEO says
Business

Airport lounges, Europe and premium class are on the table, Southwest CEO says

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX8 departs from San Diego International Airport to Chicago on March 4, 2025 in San Diego, California. Kevin Carter | Getty Images News | Getty Images ARLINGTON, Texas — Southwest Airlines is considering airport lounges, more premium seating and even long-haul international flights to win over high-spending customers, CEO Bob […]

Read More
Sales of new homes tanked in May, pushing supply up to a 3-year high
Business

Sales of new homes tanked in May, pushing supply up to a 3-year high

Houses undergo construction in a neighborhood on April 17, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images Sales of new single-family homes dropped 13.7% in May compared with April to 623,000 units on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis, according to the U.S. Census. That sales total was 6.3% lower than May 2024 and well below […]

Read More
Women’s Tennis Association extends media rights deal with Tennis Channel through 2032
Business

Women’s Tennis Association extends media rights deal with Tennis Channel through 2032

Coco Gauff of the United States lifts the winners trophy after her victory against Aryna Sabalenka in the Final of the Women’s singles competition on Court Philippe-Chatrier during the 2025 French Open Tennis Tournament at Roland Garros on June 7, 2025, in Paris, France. Sipa via AP Images The Tennis Channel is extending its deal […]

Read More