Novo Nordisk’s Experimental GLP-1 Drug Shows Weight Loss, Blood Sugar Levels Reduction In Study

• Both subcutaneous and oral Amycretin appeared to have a safe and well-tolerated profile in the study, Novo said.
• Novo is now planning to initiate a late-stage trial of Amycretin in patients with type 2 diabetes in 2026. 
• The positive announcement comes on the heels of the company's discontinuation of late-stage trials of its GLP-1 drug, Semaglutide, in Alzheimer’s disease.

Novo Nordisk (NVO) on Tuesday said that a mid-stage trial evaluating Amycretin in people with type 2 diabetes yielded positive outcomes in both weight loss and reduction in average blood sugar levels.

NVO shares traded 3% higher in the pre-market session at the time of writing.

Study Outcomes

Amycretin showed statistically significant weight loss of up to 14.5% at 36 weeks, as compared to 2.6% in patients treated with placebo, and demonstrated statistically significant reductions in average blood sugar levels, the company said.

The trial investigated the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of once-weekly subcutaneous Amycretin and once-daily oral amycretin compared with placebo in 448 people with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on metformin. About 40% of the study participants also used a class of drugs known as SGLT2 inhibitors to manage their diabetes before joining the study.

Amycretin belongs to the class of drugs known as GLP-1s, used to treat diabetes and obesity, similar to Novo’s blockbuster drugs Wegovy and Ozempic. Both subcutaneous and oral Amycretin appeared to have a safe and well-tolerated profile in the study, Novo said. The common side effects were gastrointestinal, and the vast majority were mild to moderate in severity, the company added.

Plans Ahead

Novo is now planning to initiate a late-stage trial of Amycretin in patients with type 2 diabetes in 2026.

Chief Scientific Officer Martin Holst Lange noted that this is the first time Amycretin has been evaluated in this population and added that the company is planning to test the GLP-1 compound across multiple indications starting next year.

The positive announcement comes on the heels of the company's discontinuation of late-stage trials of its GLP-1 drug, Semaglutide, in Alzheimer’s disease.

The company said on Monday that its late-stage trials evaluating oral Semaglutide in Alzheimer’s disease did not confirm its superiority over placebo in slowing disease progression, and it is subsequently discontinuing them.

How Did Stocktwits Users React?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around NVO jumped from ‘neutral’ to ‘bullish’ territory over the past 24 hours, while message volume rose from ‘low’ to ‘extremely high’ levels.

NVO stock is down by 48% this year and by about 57% over the past 12 months. 

Also See: AUTL Stock Soars Pre-market On Positive Recommendation For Cell Therapy Targeting Cancer In UK

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