The popular weight-loss drug Wegovy could have another significant benefit.

A long-term clinical trial of the drug found it reduced the risk of heart attacks, strokes and deaths related to heart disease by 20%, according to its maker, Novo Nordisk.

What You Need To Know

  • The popular weight-loss drug Wegovy reduced the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular death by 20% in a long-term clinical trial

  • Drug maker Novo Nordisk conducted the five-year study with 17,604 adults aged 45 and older who had heart disease and obesity but did not have diabetes

  • The study compared outcomes for patients who were given a placebo with those who were given Wegovy

  • Novo Nordisk plans to apply for Wegovy's expanded use in the U.S. this year

For its five-year study, Novo Nordisk looked at 17,604 adults aged 45 and older who had heart disease and obesity but did not have diabetes. Some patients were given a placebo. Others were given Wegovy subcutaneously once a week. The trial began in 2018 and was conducted in 41 countries at 800 sites.

“People living with obesity have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but to date, there are no approved weight management medications proven to deliver effective weight management while also reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death. Therefore, we are very excited about the results,” Novo Nordisk Executive Vice President for Development Martin Holst Lange said in a statement.

Wegovy is one of a handful of anti-obesity and anti-diabetic medications that use semaglutide as their active ingredient. A similar trial for the type 2 diabetes treatment Ozempic, also made by Novo Nordisk, showed it could reduce cardiovascular risk by 26%.

The company plans to file for regulatory approval in the United States and Europe this year to expand Wegovy’s use as a cardiovascular intervention.