Wegovy approved in Canada to combat risk of non fatal-heart attack

Canada’s health regulator has approved Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy to reduce the risk of nonfatal heart attack or myocardial infarction in some adults, the Danish drugmaker said on Wednesday.

Wegovy has become the first approved treatment in Canada to address both obesity and the risk of heart-related conditions in adults with established cardiovascular disease, according to Novo Nordisk.

The European Union health regulator recently backed the drug for reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events and strokes in overweight or obese adults without diabetes.

Wegovy is also approved in the U.K. and the U.S. to lower the risk of serious heart problems or strokes in overweight and obese adults.

The drug, chemically known as semaglutide and sold under the name Ozempic when diagnosed to treat diabetes, has been authorized in Canada to treat obesity since 2021.

4:17 Ozempic maker bringing weight-loss drug Wegovy to Canada