Dudley, North Tyneside, Britain – Investors in Novo Nordisk showed little concern in response to a recent report from Harvard linking weight loss drugs to a rare eye condition. A study conducted by Harvard Medical School suggested that semaglutide, found in weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, could be associated with an increased risk of a rare eye disease.
While the study results were deemed by analysts as not being a significant game-changer, the Danish pharmaceutical company’s shares showed only minor changes following the report. The Harvard study indicated that patients with type 2 diabetes or obesity who took semaglutide had a higher risk of developing nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition that could lead to vision loss in one eye. The study also found that these patients were more likely to be diagnosed with the eye condition compared to those not taking the weight loss drugs.
Despite suggesting a possible correlation with a rare eye event, Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Papadakis noted that the quality of the evidence was low, with wide margins of error. The worst-case scenario mentioned would likely involve an update to the label warning section of the drugs, which Papadakis described as not a significant game-changer. Deutsche Bank generally sees semaglutide medications as one of the safest therapeutic classes in the industry’s history.
A Novo Nordisk spokesperson stated that the optic nerve disease NAION was not considered an adverse drug reaction to approved formulations of semaglutide according to labels. The spokesperson pointed out key limitations to the study, such as a small number of people with type 2 diabetes or obesity exposed to semaglutide in the trial.
Wegovy, a popular drug, has helped Novo Nordisk become Europe’s most valuable company. Beyond weight loss and blood sugar regulation, Wegovy has been approved by the FDA for reducing the risk of heart disease. However, the drugs have faced scrutiny due to reports of stomach paralysis, suicidal thoughts, bowel obstruction, and pancreatitis among patients.
The recent U.S. study analyzed data from over 16,000 patients and highlighted the need for further research to determine if semaglutide is linked to the eye condition. This ongoing investigation aims to provide more clarity on the potential risks associated with these weight loss medications.