Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, has been suspended from the UK’s pharma trade body for not being transparent in its promotion of its weight-loss predecessor, liraglutide, to doctors.
The company is currently involved in a study that found that its weight-loss drug semaglutide reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular death. The study called the SELECT trial, involved 16 researchers who declared interest in the company.
The study revealed that 6.5% of patients who took semaglutide experienced death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke, compared with 8% of patients taking a placebo.
The lead author, Professor John Deanfield, presented further unpublished findings at an obesity conference in Venice, claiming semaglutide led to cardiovascular benefits irrespective of weight loss.
The disclosures of the researchers in the November 2023 study revealed that seven of the authors work for Novo Nordisk and have stock options or stock in the company, while the other 11 researchers all declared some form of consultancy, advisory, travel, research, or speaker role for Novo Nordisk.
Between 2015 and 2022, the company more than doubled its spending on research and development in the UK from £5.3 million to over £13 million.
Novo Nordisk is on track to make Ozempic and Wegovy some of the most prescribed drugs in history before its patent for semaglutide runs out in the early 2030s. It is also funding research into the potential benefits of semaglutide for treating kidney disease and dementia.
In a statement, Novo Nordisk said researchers disclose their relationships with the company and that it works with external researchers and experts to ensure the studies are conducted with the highest standards and ultimately meet patient needs.
