In an analysis published recently, the pharmaceutical company New Nordisk found that patients taking his injectable obesity drug, Wegovyhad a one-third lower risk of dying from the COVID-19 compared to theirs homologues who had taken a placebo.
As reported by the New York TimesNovo was already conducting large clinical trials to examine the potential heart health benefits of Wegovy, When the pandemic of COVID-19 hit in 2020. Wegovy, the “twin” drug of Ozempicuses the same GLP-1 agonist, the semaglutideas an active ingredient.
An unexpected opportunity
The Dr. Benjamin Sciricaresearcher involved in the trial and member of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Harvard, said the pandemic presented an unexpected opportunity. “I don’t think any of us expected the drug to have an effect,” Scirica admitted.
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiologyhas examined more than 17,600 non-diabetic obese patients for a period of three years, trying to understand how would behave during the pandemic. About 4,200 participants contracted the virus, split equally between the group taking semaglutide and the one taking a placebo.
Of the infected patients, 184 people died: 78 were in the semaglutide-treated group, while 106 were in the placebo group.
Reduction in mortality by 33%
Researchers found that semaglutide reduced mortality from COVID-19 infection by 33%. Furthermore, the study revealed another remarkable finding: the reduction in mortality rate for all the causes among participants taking the drug was 19%. This data, underlines the New York Timesis rare in clinical trials of new drugs.
An even more surprising fact is that the effects protective of the drug seemed to manifest itself Before that participants began to lose weight, suggesting that the benefits go beyond simple loss of body mass.
New horizons for GLP-1
In addition to these remarkable findings, this study adds further evidence to the growing body of research demonstrating that semaglutide and other GLP-1 agonists not only help with weight loss, but also have positive effects on a wide range of conditions, such as heart healththe cognitive abilities and even the dependencies.
The Dr. Jeremy Faustan emergency room physician at Brigham and Women’s and author of an editorial on the subject, told the NYT that these findings confirm that the hype around these drugs is well-justified. “All the uproar “There is exactly that: hype around these drugs,” Faust said. “But these drugs are proving repeatedly and consistently that they are revolutionaries.”
As the results continue to emerge, it becomes increasingly clear that the semaglutide It is not just a weight loss drug, but a potential tool in the fight against a wide range of diseases. With a reduction in COVID-19 mortality and other health benefits, Wegovy is emerging as one of the most significant pharmaceutical discoveries in recent years.
#Wegovy #Reduces #Risk #Death #COVID19
