The popular weight loss medication may now be covered by more companies and insurers thanks to the approval.
Pharma company Novo Nordisk said on Friday that its popular weight reduction medicine Wegovy can now be used to lower the risk of heart disease.
The business announced that the drug's label has been revised by the Food and Drug Administration to reflect the fact that Wegovy can be administered to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The CDC reports that heart disease surpasses all other causes of mortality in the US.This shift is in response to Novo Nordisk's discovery that Wegovy reduced the risk of cardiovascular events (including heart attacks and strokes) by 20% compared to a placebo in a late-stage clinical trial involving over 17,000 adults.
Everyone who participated in the study was either overweight or obese and had a preexisting condition related to cardiovascular disease.More companies and insurers may be convinced to cover the drug after the label update.
The expensive weight loss medication has been uninsured by many. Wegovy and other weight reduction drugs like Zepbound (made by Eli Lilly) are usually not covered by insurance, and Medicare is even legally unable to fund them.
Novo Nordisk announced that with this approval, Wegovy becomes the first medicine to be approved in the US to assist individuals in managing their weight and reducing the risk of heart disease.
Ozempic, a popular diabetes medication widely used off-label for weight loss, contains semaglutide, the active ingredient present in Wegovy. The pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk makes both.