The Food and Drug Administration approved a new weight-loss drug on Friday, marking the first time the agency has approved such a drug since 2014.
The agency greenlighted the Wegovy injection, used for chronic weight management in adults who are obese or overweight. Recommended users of the drug must have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes, and must use the drug along with engaging in more exercise and a reduced calorie diet.
“FDA remains committed to facilitating the development and approval of additional safe and effective therapies for adults with obesity or overweight,” Dr. John Sharretts, deputy director of the Division of Diabetes, Lipid Disorders, and Obesity in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.
NIH INNOVATIONS THAT HAVE REMAINED UNDER THE RADAR
Wegovy, developed by Danish multinational pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, is said to provide patients an average weight loss of 15%, or 34 pounds, according to studies reviewed by NPR. Data found that patients lost weight steadily for 16 months before they hit a plateau.
Wegovy mimics a hormone dubbed glucagon-like-peptide-1, which targets brain areas that regulate appetite and food intake, according to the FDA. It is an under-the-skin injection, which should be increased gradually over 16 to 20 weeks. The drug was studied in four 68-week trials.
Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and headaches, among other minor effects.
Wegovy will be added to the growing number of weight-loss drugs approved in the last decade, including Saxenda, Qysmia, and Contrave, which was approved in 2014.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Roughly 70% of adults in the United States are obese or overweight, according to the FDA. Losing 5% to 10% of body weight through diet and exercise greatly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease often associated with excess weight, the agency said.
