Novo Nordisk's new obesity drug, CagriSema, is showing a lot of promise. In a late-stage clinical trial, participants lost over 20% of their body weight on average.
The results, shared this weekend at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) congress in Chicago, point to CagriSema as a potential game-changer in weight-loss treatments.
In the Phase 3 REDEFINE 1 trial, 3,417 adults who were overweight or obese were treated with CagriSema for 68 weeks.
According to NewAtlas, on average, participants lost 20.4% of their body weight. Nearly two-thirds of them lost over 20%, and almost 1 in 5 lost more than 30%.
These results beat the weight loss achieved by semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo's existing drugs Wegovy and Ozempic.
CagriSema is a combination of two ingredients: semaglutide, which helps regulate appetite and blood sugar, and cagrilintide, a compound that works on hunger signals in the brain to increase feelings of fullness.
This dual action appears to make it more powerful than semaglutide alone.
Novo Nordisk's CagriSema shows promising weight loss results with mostly mild side effects. A potential game-changer in obesity treatment! #NovoNordisk #WeightLoss #Healthcarehttps://t.co/hVIxceSmAO
— Global Banking & Finance Review (@GBAFReview) June 22, 2025
CagriSema Shows Strong Weight Loss Results in New Trial
Dr. Timothy Garvey, lead investigator of the trial, said the results are promising. "CagriSema provided weight loss in the highest range of effectiveness seen in current weight-loss treatments," he explained.
He also noted that trial doctors were able to adjust doses to balance safety and results, similar to how care is managed in real clinics.
Though side effects such as nausea, constipation, and vomiting were reported, most were mild and short-term. According to PharmaPhorum, only 6% of people in the study stopped taking the drug due to side effects.
The drug has faced some challenges. Earlier in the year, partial trial results disappointed investors and caused a drop in Novo Nordisk's stock.
However, the full data now paints a more hopeful picture, showing that CagriSema may work better when doses are adjusted to suit each patient's needs.
Novo Nordisk now plans to seek approval to launch CagriSema as a once-weekly injection, potentially hitting the market by 2026.
Another trial, REDEFINE 11, is underway to test the drug at a full dose over a longer period. The company is also studying its effects on heart health.
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