Novo Nordisk Begins New Study Testing Smaller Doses Of Blockbuster Wegovy – A Look At Some Key Highlights

• The 450-person late-stage study began on August 12 and is being conducted across 62 locations in the U.S. and Europe.
• Researchers will also track how many participants lose at least 5%, 10% or 15% of their starting weight during the trial.
• The trial is expected to continue until April 2028.

Novo Nordisk (NVO) was in the spotlight on Wednesday after the pharmaceutical behemoth began a new study testing smaller doses of its blockbuster Wegovy pill to identify the most effective lower dose for weight loss.

According to a filing with a U.S. clinical database, the 450-person late-stage study began on August 12 and is being conducted across 62 locations in the U.S. and Europe. It will compare different lower doses of oral Semaglutide, Wegovy’s active ingredient, with a placebo in people living with obesity or excess weight. The trial is expected to continue until April 2028.

NVO shares were down 0.6% in pre-market trading.

What Will The Study Measure?

The study’s main goal is to measure the percentage change in participants’ body weight after 60 weeks.

Researchers will also track how many participants lose at least 5%, 10% or 15% of their starting weight during the trial. Other measurements include changes in waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides and inflammation levels.

Researchers will also monitor side effects and serious adverse events for up to 67 weeks, including events that cause participants to permanently stop treatment. The study will help Novo select the most effective lower oral semaglutide dose.

Why A Lower Dose Could Matter

The Wegovy pill’s currently recommended maintenance dose is 25 milligrams once daily, according to its FDA label. In the late-stage trial, people who remained on the 25 mg treatment lost an average of 16.6% of their body weight after 64 weeks, compared with 2.7% for those receiving a placebo, Novo Nordisk said last December.

Identifying an effective lower maintenance dose could give doctors greater flexibility and potentially improve tolerability for patients who struggle with the highest dose.

The study comes as Novo faces growing competition from Eli Lilly in the obesity drug market, which analysts expect could exceed $100 billion annually by 2030, according to a Reuters report.

Retail’s Take On NVO

Retail sentiment surrounding NVO on Stocktwits trended in the ‘bearish’ zone over the past 24 hours.

One user said if the stock breaks $50, it could climb to $60 by the end of the year. It's currently trading just over $45.

The stock has declined more than 11% so far this year, underperforming rival Eli Lilly’s (LLY) near 14% gains.

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