No­vo Nordisk To Start Phase 3 Obe­si­ty Tri­al With Oral Semaglu­tide

  • Novo Nordisk A/S NVO is entering the Phase 3a study in obesity with oral semaglutide 50 mg. The decision follows the completion of the STEP phase 3a trial with once-weekly subcutaneously administered semaglutide 2.4 mg.
  • The company will launch the trial in the second half of 2021, planning to measure a 50 mg semaglutide pill compared to a placebo. The study will recruit about 1,000 patients and last for 68 weeks.
  • “With oral semaglutide, we aim to introduce a convenient and effective treatment option for people with obesity and healthcare providers enabling broader use of anti-obesity medication,” said R&D chief Martin Holst Lange in a statement.
  • Previously, Novo had reported success for semaglutide to treat obesity, which entailed receiving 2.4 mg of the drug through subcutaneous injection once a week. In nearly a 2,000-person trial, patients in the drug arm saw an average of 15% weight loss, compared with just 2.4% on placebo.
  • Price Action: NVO shares are up 1.02% at $74.03 in market hours on the last check Wednesday.
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Comments
Loading...
Posted In: BiotechNewsHealth CareGeneralBriefsobesityPhase 3 Trial
Benzinga simplifies the market for smarter investing

Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.

Join Now: Free!