A recent study found that patients who took the weight-loss drug semaglutide were less likely to die from COVID-19.
According to Dr. Benjamin M. Sirica, one of the authors of the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), patients who contracted COVID-19 while taking 2.4 mg of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's Wegovi and Ozempic, weekly had a 34% reduced risk of dying from COVID-19.
Over three years, the study included approximately 17,604 patients who had cardiovascular disease and were overweight or obese but did not have diabetes.
This isn't the first time researchers have discovered other benefits of the drug, which has seen a surge in popularity in recent years due to its weight-loss effects.
For example, Wegoby was approved earlier this year for use as a heart disease prevention medication after studies showed the drug reduced the risk of serious heart disease. 20% increase.
Morgan Stanley estimates that the global market for obesity drugs could expand more than 15-fold to $105 billion to $144 billion by 2030, as their use “expands beyond weight loss to treating a range of illnesses.”
By 2023, obesity treatment brands could reach $6 billion in sales.
Mark Purcell, head of Morgan Stanley's European pharmaceuticals team, said big drugmakers were expected to seize the opportunity to treat a wider range of diseases.
Morgan Stanley estimates that by 2035, 9% of the population will be taking these drugs, which is five times the current population.
