Novo Nordisk has announced that its weight-loss drug liraglutide is safe and effective for children as young as six, according to a new company-funded study. This breakthrough positions liraglutide to become the first pharmaceutical treatment available for obesity in this age group. The study, involving 82 children aged 6 to 12, showed a 7.4% reduction in body mass index (BMI) over the course of one year compared to those receiving a placebo.
Liraglutide belongs to the GLP-1 class of drugs, which includes Novo Nordisk’s popular Ozempic and Wegovy treatments. This new study adds to the growing evidence supporting the use of GLP-1 drugs not only for weight loss but also for managing obesity-related conditions such as heart disease. The findings come as Novo Nordisk, along with US competitor Eli Lilly, seeks to expand the use of these treatments while developing oral versions for greater accessibility.
Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk’s head of development, stated that the company plans to seek regulatory approval from both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the use of liraglutide in children under 12. “One in five children have obesity, and childhood obesity is one of the biggest predictors of adult obesity, so having this potential intervention is crucial,” Lange said.
While there are currently no approved pharmaceutical treatments for general obesity in children under 12, the study offers hope for those who have not responded to lifestyle interventions. The drug, however, is not without side effects. Like its counterparts used in adults, liraglutide led to nausea and vomiting in some participants, and weight was quickly regained upon discontinuation of the drug. Despite this, the study found no significant differences in growth, bone age, or puberty development between the children taking liraglutide and those on placebos, providing some reassurance about its safety.
Novo Nordisk is also testing semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, for younger children. As the company invests heavily in research and development, it continues to explore successor treatments to its current offerings, with new drugs such as amycretin showing promise in early trials. Analysts expect the global obesity drug market to reach $200 billion, with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly maintaining dominance in the sector.
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