Positive trial results set up obesity drug Wegovy for use against heart failure

ATLANTA — Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy improved symptoms and physical function in patients who had obesity, diabetes, and a common type of heart failure, boosting Novo’s attempt to get the popular drug approved for yet another usage beyond weight loss.

The study, being presented here on Saturday at the American College of Cardiology conference and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, reports results from the second large trial Novo has conducted on Wegovy in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF. The first trial, which showed positive results last year, was in patients who had obesity and HFpEF, but not diabetes.

Novo said it submitted the results of these two trials to regulators earlier this year and is seeking approval for a new indication in HFpEF. Wegovy just last month got FDA clearance for its first usage besides weight loss — preventing cardiovascular complications in people with heart disease.

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