Novo Nordisk’s therapy delivers significant weight loss in trial
Ella Day | June 25, 2025 | News story | Research and Development | Novo Nordisk, Obesity, obesity, weight loss, weight-related medical conditions
Novo Nordisk has announced promising results from its phase 3 REDEFINE 1 trial, showing that investigational weight loss therapy, CagriSema, achieved weight reduction in adults with obesity or overweight and a weight-related medical condition, but without diabetes.
The findings, published in The New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 85th Scientific Sessions, June 20 to 23 in Chicago, US, showed a mean weight loss of 22.7% at 68 weeks in patients adhering to treatment, compared to just 2.3% in the placebo group. When measured regardless of adherence, the treatment group lost an average of 20.4% body weight, reinforcing the potential of CagriSema as an effective intervention.
CagriSema combines semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, with cagrilintide, a long-acting amylin analogue. In REDEFINE 1, 40.4% of patients achieved a weight loss of at least 25%, and 23.1% lost at least 30%. Additionally, half of the treated patients achieved a BMI below 30 kg/m² by the trial’s end, compared to just 10.2% in the placebo group.
The safety profile was consistent with GLP-1 therapies, with most adverse events being mild or moderate gastrointestinal effects. Discontinuation due to side effects remained low at 6% versus 3.7% for placebo.
“These results reinforce our confidence in CagriSema,” said Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president and head of development at Novo Nordisk. Further trials in the REDEFINE programme, including the newly launched REDEFINE 11, will continue to evaluate CagriSema’s long-term efficacy and safety.
Ella Day
25/6/25
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