Recent research shows that individuals taking semaglutide have a 33% lower risk of death from COVID-19 compared to those not on the medication. Besides reducing the risk of heart disease, semaglutide offers numerous other benefits, including improving heart failure and inflammation symptoms and lowering mortality in chronic kidney disease patients.

Semaglutide's Efficacy

The active ingredient in the drug, semaglutide, has become a popular choice for weight loss. Wegovy and Ozempic, both used for treating type 2 diabetes, are commonly administered. A study published last Friday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) indicates that individuals receiving weekly 2.4 mg doses of semaglutide have a 33% lower risk of death from COVID-19, even if they contract the virus.

In an interview with JACC, co-author Benjamin Scirica noted that, in his own research, semaglutide-treated patients had a 29% reduction in deaths unrelated to heart events, adding that weight did not seem to be a "major mediating factor" in the study results. Other research published by JACC on Friday shows that semaglutide can improve symptoms related to heart failure, inflammation, and a range of other conditions, and reduce mortality in chronic kidney disease patients.

Novo Nordisk's Stock Surge

This discovery is set to further boost the stock price of Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, as the company's value has significantly risen due to the popularity of semaglutide-based treatments. Amid intense competition in the global weight loss sector, particularly with companies like Eli Lilly in the U.S., this Danish pharmaceutical giant has emerged as the most valuable company in Europe among numerous other challengers.

Expanding Uses for Weight Loss Drugs

In an interview with JACC, Yale School of Medicine professor and JACC editor Harlan Krumholz noted, "I’m starting to think of weight loss as almost a side effect; I mean, these drugs are genuinely beneficial for health." He added, "My primary focus is on cardiovascular metabolic health… but semaglutide might enhance our overall health through various mechanisms, suggesting it is helping us combat the adverse effects of the pandemic."

Dr. Jeremy Foster, an emergency room physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, wrote a commentary on the study. "The pandemic has revealed many issues in our society and exposed its vulnerabilities. These lessons should motivate people to take action," he wrote. "It is evident that our population needs to be healthier." He added, "However, repurposing studies like the SELECT trial can yield some less obvious insights, including how semaglutide (and similar drugs) can significantly improve outcomes of pandemics caused by respiratory viruses." Foster also stated in an interview with The New York Times that the data is "astonishing." This research follows another recent study that found that the drugs tirzepatide in weight loss medications Zepbound and Mounjaro can reduce the severity of sleep apnea.

However, Krumholz noted that further research is needed on the effects of semaglutide. Not all side effects of weight loss drugs are positive; a study from Harvard Medical School this year found that weight loss medications might increase the risk of a rare eye disease. Additionally, as the study was released, both the World Health Organization and the FDA have recently intensified warnings about counterfeit versions of similar weight loss drugs.

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