CagriSema Fails to Meet Expectations in Late-Stage Obesity Trial, but Still Beats Placebo

Novo Nordisk’s obesity treatment CagriSema showed research results that fell short of expectations.

The company announced Monday that its new obesity treatment, CagriSema, did not meet expectations in late-stage clinical trials.

Cagrisema has garnered attention as a next-generation obesity treatment. It is expected to surpass Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and competitor Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro.

The recently conducted REDEFINE 2 clinical trial involved 1,200 adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or higher and type 2 diabetes.

The weight loss rate was 13.7% when including patients who dropped out by week 68 and 15.7% when excluding those who dropped out. This was significantly higher than the 3.1% weight loss rate observed in the placebo group.

Novo Nordisk reported that while the weight loss effect of CagriSema is superior to that of Wegovy, it is lower than expected compared to what was anticipated to be dramatic.

Meanwhile, CagriSema is manufactured by adding Cagrilintide, a component similar to the pancreatic hormone Amylin, to Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy. The two components work together to suppress hunger and regulate blood sugar levels.