Novo Nordisk said on Monday an oral version of its drug semaglutide, helped significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients in a late-stage study.
According to a report by news agency Reuters, the drug, Rybelsus, helped reduce the risk of these events, including cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack and stroke, by 14% compared to placebo, meeting the main goal of the trial.
The study tested the drug as an adjunct to standard of care in 9,650 patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease and/or chronic kidney disease, the company said, as quoted by Reuters.
Novo expects to file for a label expansion for Rybelsus in the United States and the European Union around the turn of the year. The drugmaker said detailed results from the study will be presented at a scientific conference next year.
Meanwhile, Catalent president and CEO Alessandro Maselli said on Monday he will continue to lead the contract drugmaker after it is acquired by Novo Holdings, the controlling shareholder of weight-loss drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk.
Maselli’s open letter comes on the back of increased criticism regarding Novo Holding’s acquisition of Catalent that could threaten competition in weight-loss drugs and cutting-edge gene therapies.
According to Reuters, Catalent will operate as an independent contract drugmaker even after the acquisition, Maselli reiterated, adding that he wanted to “correct a few key inaccuracies that have been reported” about the acquisition.
Several U.S. consumer groups and two large labor unions last week urged the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to block the $16.5 billion deal, which Novo Holdings has said would boost supply of Wegovy, Novo’s blockbuster GLP-1 injectable weight-loss drug, it stated.
