Novo Nordisk experimental obesity pill has mild-to-moderate side effects in early trial
Novo Nordisk announced on Wednesday that its experimental weight-loss pill, amycretin, demonstrated safety and tolerability in an early-stage trial, with only mild-to-moderate side effects reported. The company’s presentation at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting detailed that participants experienced up to 13.1% weight loss over 12 weeks.
This announcement follows the company’s March report, which highlighted a Phase I trial where amycretin led to significant weight reduction. Novo Nordisk’s shares surged by more than 8% following the initial news, reflecting investor optimism.
Martin Holst Lange, Novo’s head of development, noted that amycretin’s side effect profile was consistent with other incretin-based therapies, primarily involving gastrointestinal issues such as nausea and vomiting. The trial, which included 60 participants, recorded one serious but non-fatal adverse event, alongside 242 reports of mild and moderate side effects.
Amycretin operates on the same gut hormone as Wegovy but also targets amylin, a pancreas hormone influencing hunger. Lange highlighted that amycretin’s weight-loss results are comparable to Novo’s other weight-loss combination, CagriSema, which has shown potential for up to 25% weight loss.
In the trial, participants were administered doses starting from 3 milligrams, with those on a maximum dose of 2×50 mg losing 13.1% of their body weight. In contrast, placebo participants saw an average loss of just 1.1%.
Novo Nordisk is considering whether to proceed directly to Phase III trials, skipping Phase II, based on forthcoming data from a subcutaneous version of the drug. Existing obesity treatments, like Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, are injectable, and the transition to a pill could be more patient-friendly despite higher production costs.
Novo Nordisk’s stock has seen a three-fold increase since the June 2021 U.S. launch of Wegovy but has dropped 15% from its peak in June 2024. The company remains highly valued, with about 40% of its valuation attributed to its pipeline of experimental drugs. Last year, Novo Nordisk surpassed LVMH to become Europe’s most valuable listed company.
