Wegovy Approved for Heart Disease Treatment in Major FDA Decision

The FDA's approval of Wegovy for reducing heart disease risk marks a significant expansion of its use beyond weight loss.

The FDA has approved Wegovy, a weight-loss drug, for reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular-related death in adults with heart disease who are overweight or have obesity.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services FDA's decision to potentially include Wegovy in Medicare and Medicaid coverage.
Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy, is also pursuing additional indications for the drug in liver and kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and osteoarthritis.
About a third of state Medicaid programs currently cover Wegovy for weight loss, and this approval could broaden insurance coverage.
Novo Nordisk is addressing supply chain issues to meet the expected surge in demand following the FDA approval.