Novo Nordisk A/S: Semaglutide Linked to Reduced Cardiovascular Events in REACH Study

Novo Nordisk A/S announced results from the REACH real-world study, which demonstrated a 23% reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events with Ozempic (semaglutide) compared to dulaglutide in 58,336 US Medicare patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The study also found a 25% risk reduction of heart attack, stroke, hospitalization, and death from any cause. Ozempic is the only GLP-1 RA to have proven risk reduction of cardiovascular and kidney events in people with type 2 diabetes.

Novo Nordisk A/S recently announced the results of the REACH real-world study, which highlighted the substantial cardiovascular benefits of Ozempic (semaglutide) compared to dulaglutide in a large cohort of US Medicare patients. The study, presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2025 Annual Meeting, found that Ozempic reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) by 23% and the combined risk of heart attack, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina or heart failure, and death from any cause by 25% in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

The REACH study, which included nearly 60,000 US Medicare patients aged 66 and older, is the first to directly compare these glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications in everyday real-life use. The data fill a significant gap in understanding their effects on heart health in older people at high risk, which could help support informed treatment decisions and health policies Novo Nordisk A/S: Ozempic® reduces the risk of heart attack ...^[1].

Filip Krag Knop, senior vice president and incoming chief medical officer at Novo Nordisk, emphasized that these results reinforce the well-established clinical evidence of semaglutide and highlight the importance of real-world data in assessing the effectiveness of treatments. He noted that not all GLP-1 RAs are the same, and Ozempic is the only GLP-1 RA to have proven risk reduction of cardiovascular and kidney events in people with type 2 diabetes Study highlights cardiovascular benefits of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic^[2].

Ozempic, a once-weekly injectable semaglutide, is indicated for improving blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes and reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus with known heart disease. It is also the only GLP-1 RA indicated to reduce the risk of worsening kidney disease and risk of death from cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease Novo Nordisk A/S: Ozempic® reduces the risk of heart ...^[3].

The study's findings underscore the importance of real-world evidence in evaluating the effectiveness of GLP-1 RAs and support the use of Ozempic in managing cardiovascular risk in older patients with type 2 diabetes and ASCVD. As the population ages and the prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease increases, these results provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals and policymakers.