Subcutaneous once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg, a GLP1 receptor agonist, was associated with a statistically significant 20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) compared with placebo, according to top line results from the randomized, double-blind SELECT trial reported in an Aug. 8 press release.

SELECT included 17,604 patients (aged ≥45 years, BMI ≥27 kg/m²) from 41 countries who were overweight or obese with established cardiovascular disease and no history of diabetes. By randomizing participants to a treatment or placebo group, researchers evaluated the efficacy of semaglutide 2.4 mg as an adjunct to standard of care for prevention of MACE.

The study’s primary endpoint was the composite outcome of the first occurrence of MACE defined as cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction or nonfatal stroke. All three components making up the primary endpoint contributed to the 20% MACE reduction exhibited in the semaglutide 2.4 mg treatment group. Over a period of up to five years, 1,270 first MACE events occurred.

Semaglutide also appeared to be safe and well-tolerated among SELECT trial patients, showing consistency with safety results from previous trials.

Marketed by Novo Nordisk as Wegovy, the company states it will file in the U.S. and Europe for an expanded indication based on these results, noting more detailed results will be presented at a conference later this year.

Keywords: Obesity, Myocardial Infarction, Body Mass Index, Overweight, Cardiovascular Diseases

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