Wegovy® HD (semaglutide) injection 7.2 mg is available now nationwide, delivering the highest weight loss of any Wegovy® injection to date.This advancement builds on the many offerings for patients within the Wegovy® label and opens up a new option for American adults living with obesity looking to lose weight and keep it off, along with diet and exercise.
"We know that patients are looking for additional options for weight loss, and with Wegovy® HD we are answering that call. Whether patients haven't yet reached their weight loss goals on lower-dose Wegovy® injectables, or they simply have a more significant amount of weight to lose, the 21% weight loss demonstrated in the STEP UP trial, if all patients stayed on treatment, shows what's possible with this new dose, and that's an opportunity we're excited to provide," said Ed Cinca, senior vice president, Marketing & Patient Solutions at Novo Nordisk. "Additionally, Wegovy® is the only weight loss medicine for adults with obesity proven to reduce the risk of events such as stroke, heart attack, or cardiovascular death in those who also have known heart disease. Each dose of Wegovy®, including Wegovy® HD, will be available nationwide through the channels where patients can access Wegovy®, including US pharmacies, select telehealth providers, and more."
Prior to this approval, the highest approved dose of Wegovy® injectable for weight loss was 2.4 mg, which is also indicated, along with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity, to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
The common adverse reactions reported with Wegovy® HD were nausea, vomiting, dysesthesia, constipation, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, dizziness, hair loss and flatulence.2 In clinical trials, permanent discontinuation of treatment due to adverse reactions was similar in patients treated with Wegovy® HD and Wegovy® 2.4 mg injection (Wegovy® HD 5%, Wegovy® 2.4 mg 5%, placebo 2%). Additionally, dysesthesia was reported at a higher rate with Wegovy® HD compared to Wegovy® 2.4 mg and placebo in clinical trials.2 Events related to a clinical picture of altered skin sensation such as sensitive skin, hyperesthesia, dysesthesia and paresthesia were reported by a higher proportion of participants, and at a higher rate, in the Wegovy® HD arm (22%), compared to treatment with Wegovy® 2.4 mg (6%) and placebo (0.3%).1,2
Novo Nordisk continues to meet patients where they seek care and expand affordable options to access authentic, FDA-approved Wegovy®. Wegovy® HD is available to all eligible patients with multiple affordability options. Self-pay patients can start injectable Wegovy® at the 0.25 mg starting dose for $199/month.† For self-paying adults prescribed Wegovy® HD, they can expect a price of $399/month.† Commercially insured patients may pay as little as $25/month with the Wegovy® savings offer.ŧ
Wegovy® HD is assembled and packaged in the United States at Novo Nordisk's Clayton, North Carolina facility.
* Based on the efficacy estimand: estimated efficacy in an idealized scenario in which all patients stayed on treatment and took no other weight loss therapies.
** Based on the treatment regimen estimand: treatment effect regardless of whether patients stayed on treatment or took other weight loss therapies.
† Patients new to the Wegovy® Savings offer or NovoCare® Pharmacy pay $199 for each month of 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg. Offer for 2 monthly fills through June 30, 2026, then $349 per month for Wegovy® 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, or 2.4 mg and $399 per month for Wegovy® HD 7.2 mg. Eligibility and restrictions apply. One month defined as 1 box of 4 pens of Wegovy®. Novo Nordisk reserves the right to modify or cancel this program at any time. See full terms at WegovyTerms.com.
ŧ Pay as little as $25, subject to a maximum savings of $100/month. Government beneficiaries excluded. Novo Nordisk reserves the right to modify or cancel this program at any time. See WegovyTerms.com for full terms.
About Wegovy® HD (semaglutide) injection 7.2 mg
The FDA approval of Wegovy® HD is based on the results of the STEP UP program, which included the phase 3 STEP UP clinical trial, which was a 72-week randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled and active-controlled superiority trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of once-weekly semaglutide injection 7.2 mg compared to semaglutide injection 2.4 mg and placebo as an adjunct to lifestyle intervention.1,2 1,407 adults with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 without diabetes were included in the trial. The primary objective was to demonstrate superiority of semaglutide 7.2 mg against placebo on weight loss after 72 weeks with respect to the percentage change in body weight and the proportion of participants achieving weight loss of 5% or greater.1 Select confirmatory secondary endpoints included the proportion of participants achieving ≥10%, 15%, 20% and 25% weight loss, with semaglutide 7.2 mg vs placebo (and for ≥ 20% and 25%, semaglutide 7.2 mg vs semaglutide 2.4 mg).1
For those taking Wegovy® HD, 89% achieved 5% or greater body weight loss versus 38% taking placebo (from a baseline body weight of 248 lb.).1,2
About obesity
Obesity is a serious, chronic, progressive, and complex disease that requires long-term management.3-5 One key misunderstanding is that this is a disease of just lack of willpower, when in fact there is underlying biology that may impede people with obesity from losing weight and keeping it off.3,5 Obesity is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, social determinants of health, and the environment.6,7
What is Wegovy®?
Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection is a prescription medicine used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to:
reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
help adults and children aged 12 years and older with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.
Wegovy® (semaglutide) tablets are a prescription medicine used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to:
reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.
Wegovy® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.
It is not known if Wegovy® injection is safe and effective:
to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years
to help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off
It is not known if Wegovy® tablets are safe and effective for use in people under 18 years of age.
What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, Wegovy® and other medicines that work like Wegovy® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Wegovy® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people
Do not use Wegovy® if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
Before using Wegovy®, tell your healthcare provider if you have any other medical conditions, including if you:
have or have had problems with your pancreas or kidneys
have type 2 diabetes and a history of diabetic retinopathy
are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation)
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Wegovy® may harm your unborn baby. You should stop using Wegovy® 2 months before you plan to become pregnant
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with Wegovy® tablets. It is not known if Wegovy® when received through an injection passes into your breast milk
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Wegovy® may affect the way some medicines work and some medicines may affect the way Wegovy® works. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking other medicines to treat diabetes, including sulfonylureas or insulin. Wegovy® slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly.
For more information, please visit www.novonordisk-us.com
