Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy® (semaglutide) known for treating diabetes, weight loss benefits, and reducing cardiovascular events and kidney disease risks, has been shown in a University of Oxford study, supported by the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre and the Medical Research Council, to lower dementia risk by 48% compared to MSD’s Januvia® (sitagliptin). The study also found a 28% reduction in nicotine misuse compared to Januvia® and Pfizer’s Glucotrol® (glipizide), using health records of over 100,000 patients. While prior studies linked diabetes to higher dementia risk, the findings contribute to the benefits of GLP-1 treatments.
In March 2024, the FDA approved a label expansion for Wegovy® for reducing risks of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including death, myocardial infarction, or stroke in adults with obesity and/or established cardiovascular disease (CVD). Novo Nordisk has also requested equivalent label expansion in the EU. This followed shortly after Novo Nordisk announced results of its FLOW study for Ozempic® (semaglutide) for kidney outcomes.