Bagsværd, Denmark – September 18, 2025 – Novo Nordisk A/S announced landmark results from the REACH real-world study showing that Ozempic® (once-weekly semaglutide) reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events—heart attack, stroke, and death—by 23% compared to dulaglutide in older patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The findings, presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2025 Annual Meeting, also revealed a 26% reduction in all-cause mortality, providing compelling new evidence for treatment decisions in an underserved population.

Science Significance

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Regulatory Significance

Ozempic® already carries indications for glycemic control, cardiovascular event reduction, and kidney protection. These new findings strengthen the regulatory case for expanded labeling and payer support, particularly for high-risk older patients. As the only GLP-1 RA proven to reduce cardiovascular and kidney events, Ozempic® gains further differentiation from class competitors. Real-world evidence, increasingly valued by regulators, bolsters Novo Nordisk’s strategy for global submissions and supports guidelines that may favor semaglutide over other GLP-1 RAs.

Business Significance

This head-to-head real-world superiority is poised to reinforce Novo Nordisk’s market leadership in GLP-1 therapies. With Ozempic® currently prescribed in 72 countries and reaching 7 million patients worldwide, these data could accelerate uptake in competitive markets, particularly against Eli Lilly’s dulaglutide. The cardiovascular edge supports reimbursement negotiations and strengthens the case for broad adoption in aging populations, expanding Novo Nordisk’s addressable market for diabetes and cardiovascular care.

Patients’ Significance

For patients aged 66 and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the findings are highly impactful. Ozempic® reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death by nearly one-quarter compared to dulaglutide, while also reducing the risk of hospitalization for heart failure and unstable angina. These results translate into tangible survival benefits and improved quality of life for an older population often excluded from clinical trials. For millions of Medicare patients, Ozempic® could mean living longer with fewer serious cardiovascular events.

Policy Significance

The REACH findings are likely to inform clinical practice guidelines, payer decisions, and national healthcare policies. Demonstrating real-world superiority over another GLP-1 RA strengthens the argument for prioritizing semaglutide in formularies and reimbursement structures, particularly for high-risk older populations. The study underscores the importance of leveraging real-world evidence to shape diabetes and cardiovascular care policies.

Transaction Highlights

In the REACH real-world study, Ozempic® (once-weekly semaglutide) demonstrated a 23% reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) such as heart attack, stroke, and death compared with dulaglutide in nearly 60,000 U.S. Medicare patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Importantly, Ozempic® was also associated with a 26% lower risk of death, further underscoring its impact beyond glycemic control. This head-to-head comparison provides the first real-world evidence of differential cardiovascular outcomes between GLP-1 receptor agonists, addressing a key evidence gap in older Medicare populations with multiple comorbidities often underrepresented in randomized trials. Beyond the primary outcomes, Ozempic® reduced the combined risk of heart attack, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina or heart failure, and all-cause mortality (five-point MACE) by 25%. The study reinforces the clinical and policy significance of semaglutide as the only GLP-1 RA with proven benefits across cardiovascular, renal, and survival outcomes, highlighting its potential to shape treatment decisions and healthcare strategies for high-risk diabetes patients globally.

Source: NOVO NORDISK INC. Press Release