FDA Approves Weight Loss Drug Wegovy for Reducing Heart Attack, Stroke Risks

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved on Friday the first weight-loss drug for use to reduce the risks of life-threatening cardiovascular events in overweight or obese adults. Drugmaker Novo Nordisk said that it received FDA approval to update the labeling of its weight loss drug Wegovy stating that it can be used to reduce a patient’s risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death. Wegovy contains semaglutide, which belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists. This drug has so far been only approved for treating obesity and diabetes. The FDA’s approval was based on a double-blinded trial with over 17,600 participants, which found that Wegovy significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular events by 20 percent compared to placebo....