Data across obesity, cardiovascular disease, MASH, type 2 diabetes, as well as advances in obesity-related care to be presented at ECO 2025 – covering burden, and the value of treatment and prevention
Analysis of the landmark SELECT trial to uncover new insights into the early cardiovascular benefits of semaglutide
Real-world studies reinforce value of semaglutide in obesity
Bagsværd, Denmark, 6 May 2025 – Novo Nordisk today announced that new data spanning the company’s industry-leading portfolio across metabolic and cardiovascular health will be presented at the upcoming 32nd European Congress on Obesity (ECO), 11–14 May 2025. The data will further extend the wide-ranging evidence base for semaglutide through real-world evidence studies and additional analysis of the landmark cardiovascular outcomes trial, SELECT, as well as part 1 of the phase 3 ESSENCE trial in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Data will also be presented on the wider societal impacts of treating and preventing obesity, alongside analysis of the burden of obesity in adolescents.
“Obesity is one of the greatest healthcare challenges we face globally, impacting the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Without effective interventions, the global burden of obesity and its complications will continue to rise,” said Stephen Gough, senior vice president and head of Chief Medical Office at Novo Nordisk. “Our broad and robust semaglutide data presented at ECO, including its impact on weight loss in a real-world setting and its early clinical effect on cardiovascular events and death, significantly adds to the growing body of evidence showing the value of semaglutide to individuals, healthcare systems and society.”
“We are dedicated to leading the way in defeating obesity and are pleased to return to ECO to present new, strong semaglutide data,” said Ludovic Helfgott, executive vice president of Product & Portfolio Strategy at Novo Nordisk. “Our investment into the understanding and treatment of obesity continues to reveal new insights, with semaglutide showing its potential to improve health in obesity, heart disease and liver disease. Our data shows that semaglutide provides early protection against heart disease even before significant weight loss occurs and that for people in treatment, our digital support solutions have the potential to enhance weight loss further.”
About semaglutide
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), which mimics the effects of the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1. Semaglutide has been tested in several robust clinical development programmes and outcome studies in cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, liver disease and other related cardiometabolic diseases. It has a cumulative exposure of over 33 million patient-years since 2018.8
Semaglutide is marketed under the brand names Wegovy® (once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg injection), Ozempic® (once-weekly semaglutide 1.0 mg injection), and Rybelsus® (once-daily oral semaglutide 14 mg).
About Wegovy®
In the EU, Wegovy® is indicated as an adjunct to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obesity), adults with an initial BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition and paediatric patients aged 12 years and older with an initial BMI at the 95th percentile or greater for age and gender (obesity) and body weight above 60 kg.
In the US, Wegovy® is indicated in combination with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to reduce the risk of MACE in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight, as well as to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term in adults and paediatric patients aged 12 years and older with obesity and in adults with overweight in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition.
About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat serious chronic diseases built upon our heritage in diabetes. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 76,300 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries.