CagriSema: Novo's next-gen obesity drug delivers 25% weight loss in women

Novo Nordisk said on Tuesday that its experimental obesity drug CagriSema delivered average weight loss of 25% in women with obesity or overweight, per data analysed after the late-stage REDEFINE 1 study ended (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/novos-cagrisema-helped-women-lose-25-weight-average-analysis-shows-2026-10-20/).

A 2.4 milligram dose of the drug was associated with the 25% reduction after 68 weeks in 2,309 women, compared with 3% weight loss in women on placebo. Across the full trial of more than 3,400 adults, CagriSema led to 22.7% weight loss, below the 25% target Novo had set.

A post hoc analysis of 1,902 women grouped by menopausal stage showed meaningful loss across all stages at week 68: 26.7% in premenopausal women, 24.8% in perimenopausal women and 23.1% in postmenopausal women, against roughly 2% on placebo (https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2026/novos-next-generation-obesity-drug-shows-25-weight-loss-in-women-in-late-stage-analysis). The data were presented at The Menopause Society’s annual meeting in San Diego.

CagriSema is a weekly injection combining cagrilintide, which mimics the pancreatic hormone amylin, and semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy. “Many women with obesity or overweight experience weight gain as they move through menopause, and it is important to explore investigational products such as CagriSema across the reproductive lifespan,” said Michelle Skinner Moore, vice president of medical affairs at Novo.

A US Food and Drug Administration decision on CagriSema for weight management is expected in the fourth quarter of this year. Viewed as a successor to Wegovy, the drug could help Novo claw back ground lost to rival Eli Lilly, as Wegovy faces patent expiries after 2030.