Novo Nordisk announced significant findings regarding its oral diabetes medication Rybelsus during the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session. The late-stage trial revealed that Rybelsus lowers the risk of cardiovascular-related death, heart attack, and stroke by 14% compared to a placebo over an average of four years. This new data positions Rybelsus as a promising treatment option for patients with diabetes and established heart disease.
Rybelsus, already approved for Type 2 diabetes management, is a daily oral alternative to Novo Nordisk's weekly injection, Ozempic. Both medications contain semaglutide, which has shown cardiovascular benefits in previous studies. The company has sought to extend Rybelsus’s approval to encompass its cardiovascular advantages in both the United States and the European Union, as confirmed by Stephen Gough, the global chief medical officer of Novo Nordisk.
The trial involved over 9,600 participants aged 50 and older, who were administered either Rybelsus or a placebo alongside their standard treatments. Notably, about half of the participants were already using SGLT2 inhibitors, commonly prescribed for Type 2 diabetes. The trial's results indicated that 12% of Rybelsus users and 13.8% of placebo recipients experienced cardiovascular events, highlighting a meaningful reduction in risk for those on the medication.
While the study focused primarily on cardiovascular outcomes, it did not find significant differences in kidney function between the two groups. Common side effects observed included gastrointestinal issues, consistent with those related to injectable semaglutide. Overall, the trial results suggest that Rybelsus could provide an accessible treatment option for patients wary of injections, aligning with ongoing developments in oral GLP-1 medications by other pharmaceutical companies.