STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Wegovy approved for heart risks, an ALS drug puzzle, and more
The FDA approved a label expansion for Novo Nordisk’s obesity drug Wegovy to tout its benefits for the heart, a move that could boost demand and insurance coverage.
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was relaxing and invigorating, because that oh-so familiar routine of online meetings, calls, and deadlines has predictably returned. But what can you do? The world, such as it is, continues to spin. So time to give it a nudge in a better direction with a cup of stimulation. To accomplish this task, we have fired up the coffee kettle and are reaching for Swiss chocolate almond. Please feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here are a few items of interest to help you charge your battery. We hope you have a smashing day and conquer the world. And of course, do keep in touch. …
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a label expansion for Novo Nordisk’s obesity drug Wegovy to tout its benefits for the heart, a move that could boost demand and insurance coverage for the already highly popular treatment, STAT notes. The new label indicates that Wegovy can be used to reduce the risk of major heart complications — including heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular-related deaths — for people who are overweight or obese people and have heart disease. The decision was based on a large, five-year trial showing Wegovy cut the risk of cardiovascular problems by 20% in that population. This is the first weight loss treatment to be approved for improving heart outcomes.
Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk is working with authorities in several countries to tackle counterfeit versions of its popular diabetes drug Ozempic, as new reports emerge of patient harm across the world, Reuters writes. Surging demand for Novo’s drugs that promote weight loss, known chemically as semaglutide, far outpaces supply, increasingly giving rise to concerns about unregulated and counterfeit medicines. Counterfeit Ozempic has been found in as many as 16 countries to date, according to the Partnership for Safe Medicines, an anti-counterfeiting group. Patients were harmed after taking fake Ozempic in Belgium, Iraq, Serbia and Switzerland last year, according to documents.
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