COPENHAGEN, Feb 2, 2026, 18:20 CET
- At 68 weeks, CagriSema reduced body weight by 14.2%, compared to 10.2% with Wegovy, Novo reported.
- HbA1c, which tracks average blood sugar over several months, dropped by 1.91 percentage points compared to 1.76 with semaglutide alone.
- Novo announced plans to explore a regulatory route for CagriSema in type 2 diabetes.
On Monday, Novo Nordisk announced that its experimental CagriSema injection outperformed its blockbuster Wegovy in a late-stage trial involving adults with type 2 diabetes. At the top dose, patients lost 14.2% of their body weight after 68 weeks, compared to 10.2% with Wegovy. Blood sugar control also improved more with CagriSema, with HbA1c dropping 1.91 percentage points versus 1.76, the company reported. (Reuters)
The outcome is critical now as Novo seeks a viable follow-up to Wegovy, with real consequences on the line. Eli Lilly and Co have entered the fray with Zepbound, while CagriSema’s prior data had already rattled investor confidence.
Monday’s data strengthen Novo’s case that combining a second hormone mechanism can impact both glucose levels and weight in the same patients. This follows the company’s reset of expectations, with a new late-stage study launched last year after earlier trials showed weaker results.
CagriSema is a weekly injection blending cagrilintide, which imitates amylin—a pancreas hormone involved in appetite and blood sugar regulation—with semaglutide, the GLP-1 drug marketed as Wegovy. GLP-1 medications replicate a gut hormone that increases insulin and usually suppresses appetite.
The phase 3 REIMAGINE 2 trial included 2,728 adults with type 2 diabetes poorly managed on metformin; some participants were also on an SGLT2 inhibitor, a drug class that promotes glucose excretion through urine. According to Novo, patients were randomly assigned to 68 weeks of treatment with CagriSema, semaglutide, cagrilintide, or placebo.
In Novo’s primary analysis — which assumes continuous treatment — CagriSema at 2.4 mg/2.4 mg achieved an average weight loss of 14.2% from a starting weight of 101 kg. Novo reported that 43% of patients lost at least 15% of their weight, while 24% hit the 20% mark. Notably, there was no sign of a weight-loss “plateau” by week 68. A more cautious analysis accounting for treatment breaks showed a 12.9% weight loss, compared to 9.2% with semaglutide. (GlobeNewswire)
“We’re very encouraged by CagriSema’s clinical profile in type 2 diabetes patients,” Martin Holst Lange stated. “The combination of semaglutide and cagrilintide is delivering better results in blood glucose control and weight loss.”
The company reported that most side effects were gastrointestinal, typically mild to moderate, and tended to diminish with time. It characterized the overall safety profile as aligning with treatments targeting GLP-1 and amylin pathways.
Novo plans to engage regulators soon to chart the approval path for CagriSema in type 2 diabetes. The company aims to unveil detailed data at a scientific conference scheduled for later in 2026. Meanwhile, CagriSema’s weight management application was filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2025, Novo confirmed.
Novo’s pitch for CagriSema is simple: a stronger follow-up to Wegovy and a serious contender against emerging competitors. The company is also conducting further REIMAGINE studies, set to compare CagriSema with other injectable treatments for type 2 diabetes over 68 weeks, including direct matchups against tirzepatide.
In New York trading, Novo’s U.S.-listed shares initially climbed following the announcement but then settled around flat, recovering from earlier dips, according to Investing.com. (Investing)
That said, the headline weight-loss figure hinges on an analysis focused on treatment adherence, and real-world dropouts could pull the results down. Regulators will also scrutinize longer-term safety and how CagriSema compares once more direct comparison data arrives—not just against Wegovy, but within a crowded market.
