After the clinical data of the weight loss drug CagriSema did not meet market expectations, the stock price of weight loss drug giant Novo Nordisk plummeted, with a market value evaporation of $62.5 billion. The main reason for the sharp decline in its market value may be that this news has raised concerns among investors.
It is understood that CagriSema is a drug developed by Novo Nordisk for the treatment of obese or overweight adults. It is a fixed dose compound formulation designed for subcutaneous injection once a week, which helps patients reduce food intake and calorie intake by reducing hunger and increasing satiety, thereby achieving weight loss.
Previously, Novo Nordisk announced the positive results of CagriSema in the phase II clinical trial for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, which showed that it can not only effectively reduce the level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), but also has a significant weight loss effect. In the latest phase 3 clinical trial REDEFINE 1 released by Novo Nordisk, the main results showed that patients with CagriSema lost an average of 22.7% of their weight after 68 weeks, which was lower than the company's previous expectation of 25%, leading to a decline in stock price.
Nevertheless, Novo Nordisk stated that they will continue to explore the potential of CagriSema as a weight loss therapy and look forward to the results of the second critical Phase 3 trial REDEFINE 2. "In the REDEFINE 1 trial, CagriSema's weight loss effect showed that its monotherapy was superior to semaglutide and Cagralintide, which is encouraging. Although only 57% of patients achieved the highest dose of CagriSema, this goal was still achieved Martin Holst Lange, Executive Vice President of Development at Novo Nordisk, said. "With the insights gained from REDEFINE1 trial, we plan to further explore the additional weight loss potential of CagriSema." The results of REDEFINE2, the second key phase III trial, are expected to be published in the first half of 2025, which is aimed at adult patients with type 2 diabetes who are obese or overweight.