Novo Nordisk's Wegovy diet pill is rapidly growing in popularity.
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LONDON – British health regulators on Tuesday approved the use of Novo NordiskWegovy weight loss pill may reduce the risk of serious heart disease or stroke in overweight and obese adults.
this new approval The approval from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) makes the Danish pharmaceutical giant's GLP-1 obesity drug the first in the country to be used to prevent cardiovascular events in obese people.
It follows tag extensions like FDA March.
Shares in Novo Nordisk rose after the news, rising 1.46% at 4:10 p.m. London time, after spending much of the day rising.
Shirley Hopper, deputy director of innovative medicines at the MHRA, said the decision marked an “important step forward” in combating the effects of obesity.
“We are confident that the approval of this drug meets appropriate regulatory standards of safety, quality and effectiveness,” Hopper said in a statement.
She added: “This treatment option to prevent heart disease and stroke is an important step in addressing the serious health consequences of obesity.”
Novo Nordisk's blockbuster Wegovy injection has been approved in the UK for the treatment of obesity and weight management, to be used alongside diet, physical activity and behavioral support.
However, the new approval marks a major success for the company as it attempts to transcend Wegovy's image as a “vanity drug” and fend off growing competition.
Much-watched late results”chooseA trial published in August 2023 stated that the drug could reduce major cardiovascular events by 20% compared with placebo.
