U.K. regulators approve Wegovy for prevention of cardiac events (NYSE:NVO)

U.K. regulators have approved Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) semaglutide, also known as Wegovy, for the prevention of cardiac events in obese or overweight adults with cardiovascular disease. Semaglutide is already approved in the U.K. for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. Novo (NVO) markets semaglutide for weight loss under the name Wegovy and for diabetes under the name Ozempic. The U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, said in a statement that the approval makes semaglutide the first weight loss drug approved for the prevention of cardiovascular events such as cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack and non-fatal stroke, in patients with established cardiovascular disease and a BMI of 27kg/m2 or higher. Semaglutide’s main rival in the weight loss market has been Eli Lilly’s (LLY) tirzepatide, which is sold for weight loss under the name Zepbound and for diabetes under the name Mounjaro.