A New Weight Loss Hope: Wegovy's Bigger Dose Gets Green Light in Europe

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given a thumbs-up to Novo Nordisk's higher dose of Wegovy. This is big news for people struggling with weight. The EMA's committee said the new dose, semaglutide 7. 2 mg, is good to go. Novo Nordisk also wants to make it easier to use. They've applied for a single-dose device to deliver this stronger version. Wegovy is already known for helping people lose weight. But the new dose shows even better results. In tests, people lost an average of 20. 7% of their weight over 72 weeks. That's a lot! And it's not just about looking good. Losing weight can help with other health problems. It can lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. It can also reduce knee pain from arthritis. The positive opinion comes from studies called STEP UP and STEP UP T2D. These studies showed that one in three people without diabetes lost 25% or more of their weight. And the best part? Most of the weight lost was fat, not muscle. That means people stayed strong while losing weight. This isn't just good news for Europe. The U. S. , the U. K. , and other countries are also looking at this new dose. In the U. S. , Novo Nordisk has already submitted it to the FDA. They even got a special voucher for priority review. This could mean faster approval. But it's not all smooth sailing. The stock market had a small reaction. Novo Nordisk's shares went up by just 0. 05%. That's not a huge jump, but it's still a sign of positive news.