US FDA Approves Obesity Drug 'Wegovy' for Cardiovascular Risk Prevention

Approval Decision Through Clinical Trials

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the obesity treatment drug "Wegovy" for use in preventing cardiovascular-related issues.

On the 8th (local time), the FDA issued a press release announcing, "We have approved a new indication (treatment scope) for Wegovy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular-related death, heart attack, and stroke in adults with cardiovascular disease or who are obese or overweight."

According to the FDA, Wegovy is the first obesity treatment drug approved for the prevention of cardiovascular problems.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The FDA emphasized, "Patients with cardiovascular disease or who are obese or overweight have a higher risk of experiencing cardiovascular death, heart attack, and stroke. Providing a treatment option proven to reduce these cardiovascular risks is a significant advancement in public health."

This approval was based on clinical trial results involving over 17,600 participants. The clinical trial was conducted by dividing participants into a group receiving Wegovy and a group receiving a placebo.

Both groups received the same treatments for blood pressure and cholesterol management, as well as dietary and exercise counseling, but the incidence of cardiovascular-related death, heart attack, or stroke was 6.5% in the Wegovy group, lower than the 8.0% in the placebo group.

Wegovy, produced by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, was approved by the FDA as an obesity treatment drug in 2021. Originally developed as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, it gained worldwide popularity after its significant weight loss effects were confirmed. Elon Musk revealed that he lost weight using Wegovy, earning it the nickname "Musk's obesity drug."

The active ingredient in Wegovy, semaglutide, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, known to aid weight loss by producing effects similar to the hormone GLP-1, which induces a feeling of fullness.

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