(Bloomberg) -- Novo Nordisk A/S’s Rybelsus diabetes pill, a tablet version of Ozempic, reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes in a large study that may drive broader use of the drug.
People with type 2 diabetes and pre-existing heart or chronic kidney diseases, or all three illnesses, were 14% less likely to suffer a cardiovascular event than those who took placebo, the Danish drugmaker said on Monday. The side effects were in line with previous studies, Novo said.
The results show that Rybelsus can help reduce heart risks even in patients who are already taking standard treatment, said Martin Holst Lange, Novo’s head of drug development. About one-third of adults with type 2 diabetes also have heart disease, he said.
Novo is testing the cardiovascular outcomes of its obesity and diabetes medicines to build a case for their broader use. Another large study last year showed that Wegovy, an obesity shot with the same main ingredient as Rybelsus, reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 20%.
Begun in 2019, the Rybelsus trial compared the pill with a placebo in nearly 10,000 patients. Almost half of them also took another commonly used class of diabetes drugs called SGLT-2 inhibitors at some point in the study. Novo said it will seek approval from US and European regulators for broader use of Rybelsus around the beginning of next year.
The shares were little changed in Copenhagen. Novo has climbed about 16% this year.
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