Obesity drug Wegovy gets FDA approval to add cardiovascular benefits on its label

U.S. regulators approved a label expansion for Novo Nordisk’s obesity drug Wegovy to tout its benefits for the heart, a move that could boost demand and insurance coverage for the already highly popular treatment.

The new label indicates that Wegovy can be used to reduce the risk of major heart complications — including heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular-related deaths — for people with overweight or obesity and existing heart disease, Novo said in a statement Friday.

The decision was based on results of a large, five-year trial that showed Wegovy cut the risk of cardiovascular problems by 20% in that population. This is the first time a weight loss treatment has been approved to also help improve heart outcomes, the FDA said.

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