Novo Nordisk's CagriSema: A New Contender in Obesity Treatment

Novo Nordisk's experimental obesity drug, CagriSema, showed a 22.7% weight reduction in a late-stage trial, falling short of the anticipated 25%. This result is a setback for Novo Nordisk, which aims to position CagriSema as a potent successor to Wegovy in the competitive obesity drug market.

Novo Nordisk reported on Friday that its experimental obesity drug, CagriSema, achieved a 22.7% weight reduction in overweight patients during a late-stage trial. This figure is lower than the 25% weight loss the Danish pharmaceutical company had initially anticipated.

The less-than-expected outcomes pose a challenge to Novo Nordisk's efforts to introduce a strong successor to its popular obesity treatment, Wegovy. CagriSema was anticipated to surpass Eli Lilly's rival drug, Zepbound, in effectiveness.

Investors and industry analysts closely monitored the trial's results to assess Novo Nordisk's drug development capabilities in the highly competitive anti-obesity sector. The company's hope to maintain a robust pipeline beyond Wegovy now faces significant obstacles.

(With inputs from agencies.)