PLAINSBORO, N.J., Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Results from the STEP 5 phase 3b trial, presented today at the ObesityWeek 2021 interactive congress, showed that adults treated with Wegovy (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg achieved significant and sustained weight loss over the two-year study period.1 The STEP 5 trial investigated Wegovy vs. placebo, both used with a reduced calorie meal plan and increased physical activity, for the treatment of obesity (BMI 30 kg/m2) or overweight (BMI 27 kg/m2) in 304 adults for 104 weeks (two years).1
In the STEP 5 trial, results showed that Wegovysignificantly reduced body weight from baseline to week 104 compared to placebo (-15.2% vs. -2.6%, estimated treatment difference: -12.6% points [95% CI: -15.3, -9.8]; p<0.0001). The study also demonstrated that adults with overweight or obesity were more likely to lose at least 5% of their body weight with Wegovy vs. placebo (77.1% vs. 34.4%; p<0.0001).1
"People with obesity try on average seven times to lose weight before seeking medical care. Once weight is lost, however, it all too often comes back, which is why it is critically important to find options to help people living with obesity lose weight and keep it off," said W. Timothy Garvey, MD, Professor of Medicine, Department of Nutrition Sciences at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. "Results from the STEP 5 clinical trial demonstrated that adults with obesity were able to lose weight while taking Wegovy and maintain the weight loss at two years, which can help us better treat and manage obesity as a chronic disease."
Based on 68-week trials, the most frequently reported adverse events with Wegovy were nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal pain.2In the STEP 5 trial, the safety profile of Wegovy was in line with previous STEP phase 3a trials; 5.9% of patients treated with Wegovy and 4.6% of patients treated with placebo permanently discontinued treatment as a result of adverse events.1
"Obesity is a chronic disease associated with at least 60 other health conditions and decreased life expectancy. With Wegovy, we have a significant opportunity to drive meaningful change in how obesity is treated," said Doug Langa, Executive Vice President, North America Operations and President of Novo Nordisk Inc. "We are making strides by bringing an important option forward that can help people with obesity. The interest from patients and healthcare professionals is truly humbling and underscores how great this unmet need really is, as well as our responsibility to the obesity community."
About Wegovy
Wegovy is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Wegovy was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on June 4, 2021. It is currently under review in the European Union and other countries.2,3
What is Wegovy?
Wegovy(semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg is an injectable prescription medicine used for adults with obesity (BMI 30) or overweight (excess weight) (BMI 27) who also have weight-related medical problems to help them lose weight and keep the weight off.
Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy?Wegovymay cause serious side effects, including:
Do not use Wegovy if:
Before using Wegovy, tell your healthcare provider if you have any other medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take,including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Wegovymay affect the way some medicines work and some medicines may affect the way Wegovyworks. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking other medicines to treat diabetes, including sulfonylureas or insulin. Wegovy slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly.
What are the possible side effects of Wegovy?Wegovy may cause serious side effects, including:
Please see Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide, at https://www.novo-pi.com/wegovy.pdf
About the STEP clinical trial program and STEP 5STEP (Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with obesity) is a phase 3 clinical development program with Wegovy in obesity. The global phase 3a program consisted of four trials and enrolled approximately 4,500 adults with overweight or obesity.4
STEP 5 is a 104-week phase 3b randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center clinical trial comparing Wegovy with placebo in 304 adults with overweight (BMI 27 kg/m2) with at least one weight-related comorbidity or obesity (BMI 30 kg/m2), without diabetes, as an adjunct to lifestyle intervention.1
The co-primary endpoints of the trial were a change in body weight (%) and proportion of participants who achieved greater than or equal to 5% weight loss at week 104. Confirmatory secondary endpoints evaluated the number of participants achieving a body weight reduction 10% and 15% from baseline at 104 weeks and change from baseline to week 104 in waist circumference and systolic blood pressure.1
About obesityObesity is a chronic, progressive and misunderstood disease that requires long-term medical management.5,6,7 One key misunderstanding is that this is a disease of willpower, when in fact there is underlying biology that prevents people from losing weight and keeping it off.8 Obesity is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, appetite signals, behavior and the environment. 8 It is a gateway disease and is associated with at least 60 other health conditions.9 The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that obesity also increases the risk for severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19.10,11,12,13
The global increase in the prevalence of obesity is a public health issue that has severe cost implications to healthcare systems.14,15 In the United States, more than 42% of adults live with obesity.16
About Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company that's been making innovative medicines to help people with diabetes lead longer, healthier lives for 95 years. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious diseases including obesity, hemophilia and growth disorders. We remain steadfast in our conviction that the formula for lasting success is to stay focused, think long-term and do business in a financially, socially and environmentally responsible way. With U.S. headquarters in New Jersey and production and research facilities in six states, Novo Nordisk employs nearly 6,000 people throughout the country. For more information, visitnovonordisk.us, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
References
1Garvey WT, et al. Two-year Effect of Semaglutide 2.4 mg vs Placebo in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 5). Presented at the 39th Annual Meeting of The Obesity Society (TOS) held at ObesityWeek, November 15, 2021.2Wegovy (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg Prescribing Information. Plainsboro, NJ: Novo Nordisk Inc.; 2021. 3Novo Nordisk files for EU regulatory approval of once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg for weight management. Available at: https://www.novonordisk.com/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=39374. December 2020. Last Accessed: October 2021.4Kushner RF, Calanna S, Davies M, et al. Semaglutide 2.4 mg for the Treatment of Obesity: Key Elements of the STEP Trials 1 to 5. Obesity. 2020; 28:1050-1061.5American Medical Association. A.M.A Adopts New Policies on Second Day of Voting at Annual Meeting. Obesity as a Disease. Available at: https://news.cision.com/american-medical-association/r/ama-adopts-new-policies-on-second-day-of-voting-at-annual-meeting,c9430649. Last accessed: October 2021.6Bray GA, Kim KK, Wilding JPH. World Obesity Federation. Obesity: a chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation.ObesRev. 2017;18(7):715-723. doi:10.1111/obr.12551.7Puhl RM, Heuer CA. The stigma of obesity: a review and update. Obesity. 2009;17(5):941-964.8Wright SM, Aronne LJ. Causes of obesity. Abdom Imaging. 2021;37(5):730-732.9Bays HE, McCarthy W, Christensen S, et al. Obesity Algorithm, presented by the Obesity Medicine Association. Available at: https://obesitymedicine.org/obesity-algorithm/. Last Accessed: October 2021.10Finer N, Garnett SP and Bruun JM. COVID-19 and obesity.Clin Obes. 2020; 10:e12365.11Ryan DH, Ravussin E and Heymsfield S. COVID 19 and the Patient with Obesity - The Editors Speak Out.Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020; 28:847.12Body Mass Index and Risk for COVID-19Related Hospitalization, Intensive Care Unit Admission, Invasive Mechanical Ventilation, and Death - United States, MarchDecember 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7010e4.htm?s_cid=mm7010e4_w. Updated March 11, 2021. Last Accessed: October 2021.13Obesity, Race/Ethnicity, and COVID-19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/obesity-and-covid-19.html. Updated September 15, 2021. Last Accessed: October 2021.14World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight Factsheet no. 311. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/. Last accessed: October 2021.15Cawley J, Meyerhoefer C, Biener A, et al. Savings in Medical Expenditures Associated with Reductions in Body Mass Index Among US Adults with Obesity, by Diabetes Status. Pharmacoeconomics. 2015; 33:707722.16Adult Obesity Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html. Updated September 30, 2021. Last Accessed: October 2021.
SOURCE Novo Nordisk
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Wegovy demonstrated significant and sustained weight loss in two-year study in adults with obesity - PRNewswire
