Novo Nordisk Study Shows Women with Heart Failure Lose More Weight on Wegovy Than Men

Intelligent Finance APP learned that the latest research data analysis published in a medical journal showed that Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk (NVO.US) released a set of research data indicating that Wegovy (semaglutide), which is popular worldwide and known as a "weight loss miracle drug," helped women with a common type of heart disease lose more weight compared to men with the same heart condition. These trials included 1,145 patients, focusing on a type of heart failure called "preserved ejection fraction" (HFpEF), in which the heart muscle becomes stiff and takes in less blood.

Data from the two trials were presented Sunday at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida. The trials tested people with obesity-related heart failure and HFpEF, including those with and without diabetes. The data showed that the weight-loss drug had a very positive symptom improvement range for HFpEF symptoms, physical limitations, and exercise function, regardless of gender. This pre-specified analysis was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Novo Nordisk Chief Medical Officer Stephen Gough said in an interview: "We found that both male and female groups can benefit from it." However, he added that the trial data supports the potential of Wegovy to provide clinically more significant weight improvement for patients with heart failure.

Novo Nordisk's latest trial was not designed to evaluate the biological sex treatment effects of Wegovy (known chemically as semaglutide).

About half of the patients participating in the trial are women. Analysis shows that they have a higher body mass index and more severe heart failure symptoms. Compared with men, women are also less likely to suffer from arrhythmia or coronary artery disease.

Data shows that in HFpEF patients associated with obesity, the 2.4 mg dose of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy led to greater weight loss in women. Women lost an average of 9.6% of their body weight, while men lost approximately 7.2%.

The study also found that the degree of benefit for men and women with heart failure was similar, with an average improvement of about 7.5% in both groups on a 0 to 100 point scoring system.

Other research data from the company also shows that female groups taking Novo Nordisk's Wegovy have better weight loss effects than males; the reason is still unclear according to the analysis.

According to an editorial published with the study, the "key surprising finding" from the analysis was that greater weight loss in women did not lead to an equivalent improvement in heart failure symptoms. The researchers emphasized the need for more studies to determine the reasons behind this difference.

The data also show that patients taking Novo Nordisk's Wegovy reported fewer serious adverse events compared to the control group patients who received a placebo.

Statistics show that HFpEF patients account for about half of heart failure cases, with symptoms including shortness of breath and limb swelling. Previous studies have indicated that this condition primarily affects overweight individuals and is particularly common among women.