Wegovy leads from the “heart” towards cardiac label expansion

Novo Nordisk has set their sights on a promising expansion into cardiac disease with successful readouts from both their SELECT and STEP HFpEF trials.

SELECT followed over 17,600 adult patients who were overweight or obese with established cardiovascular disease (CVD) and no history of diabetes. Readouts from earlier this month demonstrated a 20% reduction in major cardiovascular events compared to placebo and standard of care, with investigators specifically assessing Wegovy’s ability to reduce cardio death, heart attack and stroke.

STEP HFpEF focused on adult patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and obesity. HFpEF comprises roughly half of all heart failure cases and 80% of patients are overweight or obese. Results demonstrated significant improvements in weight loss, Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire and 6-minute Walking Distance compared to placebo.

While Wegovy received Health Canada approval in 2021, it is not currently reimbursed in Canada. These data support Wegovy as a much-needed treatment option for patients suffering from both CVD/HFpEF and obesity, and have the potential to improve drug access.

Written by Rhiannon Jamieson-Williams