Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk NVO announced on Sunday that a late-stage trial of its high-dose oral drug semaglutide led to a 15% body weight loss in overweight or obese adults.
What Happened: The Danish company plans to seek U.S. and European regulatory approval of the high-dose pill later this year, but the timing of a market launch is yet to be determined, according to Mico Guevarra, medical director at Novo Nordisk, Reuters reports.
The company has faced supply issues and struggled to meet the growing U.S. demand for Wegovy and Ozempic, the respective brand names for semaglutide sold as once-weekly injections for treating obesity and diabetes.
See Also: This New Drug May Be Even Stronger Than Ozempic For Weight Loss, Clinical Trial Shows
Why It Matters: Semaglutide, designed to activate hormones that regulate blood sugar, slow stomach emptying, and decrease appetite, is part of a new class of drugs that has reignited interest in the weight-loss treatment market. This market is estimated to reach $100 billion by the end of the decade. The trial results come after Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic faced scrutiny for potential long-term effects and as other pharmaceutical companies are working on weight-loss drugs in pill form.
The trial of 667 obese and overweight adults tested a dose of 50mg, showing that it resulted in average weight loss of 15.1% after 68 weeks, when used alongside diet and physical activity. However, most patients reported gastrointestinal side effects from oral semaglutide, including nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Read Next: Ozempic Weight Loss Drug Users Report ‘Saggy Buttocks’ Side Effect
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