Novo Nordisk is registering a clinical trial on the long-term effects of Wegovy in adolescents

Novo Nordisk (NGO) I just registered a new clinical trial which will look at the long-term effects of semaglutide, the active ingredient behind the popular drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, on teenagers.

Semaglutide works by mimicking a hormone that regulates blood sugar and suppresses appetite. The drug is sold by the Danish pharmaceutical giant in the United States as Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for weight loss.

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved Wegovy for adolescents 12 years and older in 2022. That decision was based on a study that showed the drug helped teenagers reduce their body mass index by an average of 16 percent after 68 weeks, compared to a placebo.

However, some doctors were reluctant to prescribe the relatively new drug to teenagers because of concerns that not enough is known about its long-term effects.

Novo Nordisk (NGO) now trying to ease those concerns with a new clinical trial.

The pharmaceutical giant registered a new clinical trial at the US National Institutes of Health this month.

The trial will follow about 500 teenagers over at least three years as they take a weekly dose of Wegovy.

Researchers will monitor and track how well it helps teens maintain long-term weight loss, as well as any adverse events.

Novo Nordisk did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

About 19% of American children under 19 are living with obesity, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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