Novo Nordisk's Weight Loss Drug Demonstrates Cardiovascular Benefits: SELECT Trial Supplementary Data

Recently, Novo Nordisk announced supplementary data from the SELECT Phase III trial, further demonstrating the cardiovascular benefits of their best-selling weight loss drug (semaglutide). The release of this data indicates that the drug has additional therapeutic effects beyond its known weight loss properties, potentially expanding its range of use.

Three months ago, Novo Nordisk disclosed the preliminary results of the SELECT trial, which showed that it helped patients achieve an average weight loss of 15% and reduced the occurrence of heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular death by 20%.

At the recent American Heart Association Scientific Sessions (AHA 2023), Novo Nordisk presented the complete results of the trial, which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Reducing cardiovascular risks: A milestone achievement

Supplementary data from the SELECT study revealed that compared to placebo, this weight loss drug reduced the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular death by 20%. Specifically, it lowered the risk of non-fatal heart attacks by 28%, non-fatal strokes by 7%, and cardiovascular-related deaths by 15%.

SELECT was a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study that compared the effects of 2.4 mg of injection with placebo on the reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) risk in overweight or obese patients with a confirmed history of cardiovascular disease but no history of diabetes.

The study began in 2018 and enrolled 17,604 overweight or obese individuals aged 45 and above who had a history of heart disease, stroke, or symptomatic arterial disease. The participants had no history of diabetes and were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either subcutaneous injections of 2.4 mg of semaglutide or placebo once a week. The average follow-up duration was 39.8 ± 9.4 months.

The supplementary data from the SELECT trial further elaborated on these results and indicated that the reduction in MACE risk was consistent across subgroups based on different ages, genders, races, and body mass indexes. Novo Nordisk also noted that the MACE effects of it became evident shortly after initiating treatment, much faster than the effects achieved solely through weight loss for regulating heart health.

Martin Lange, Executive Vice President and Head of Development at Novo Nordisk, called SELECT a "landmark study" in a statement and added that the results would "help change the way obesity is perceived and treated."

Dr. Robert Kushner, an endocrinology professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a participant in the study, stated, "This is the first time a drug used for chronic obesity treatment has been shown to save lives."

With its impressive weight loss effects, this weight loss drug has become the flagship product for Novo Nordisk, driving revenue growth.

As a heavyweight product, it generated sales of $3 billion in the first three quarters. The demand for it in the U.S. market has been unprecedentedly strong, leading to supply shortages.

To address this, Novo Nordisk recently announced a $6 billion investment to expand production and resolve the semaglutide production capacity issue.

This investment will take place over the next six years and will be based on Novo Nordisk's existing capital expenditure plans. The majority of the funds will be used to construct a new facility for manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients, such as the semaglutide protein present. Novo Nordisk also stated that the project would include the addition of a new packaging facility, which is expected to be completed in stages from late 2025 to 2029.

Wegovy's main competitor is tirzepatide, marketed as Zepbound by Eli Lilly. On November 8th, tirzepatide was approved as a weight loss drug for adults who are obese (BMI 30 or above) or overweight (BMI 27 or above, with at least one weight-related comorbidity such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol), to be used in conjunction with calorie reduction and increased physical activity. Previously, tirzepatide had received FDA approval for improving blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Tirzepatide is the first and only therapy among its class of drugs to simultaneously activate both the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor hormones in the intestines.

Furthermore, tirzepatide is priced at $1,059.87 for 2.5 mg.

However, it's progress in the cardiovascular field will help Novo Nordisk maintain its leading position against its competitor, Eli Lilly. Despite the price advantage of tirzepatide, its effectivenes in treating cardiovascular diseases has notbeen established to the same extent as Wegovy. Novo Nordisk's investment in expanding it's production capacity indicates their confidence in the drug's market potential and the growing demand for it.