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Research from the University of Oxford shows that the weight-loss drug Ozempic from Novo Nordisk (NVO.US) is associated with a lower risk of dementia.

AInvestFriday, Jul 12, 2024 6:01 am ET
1min read

A study from the University of Oxford suggests that Novo Nordisk’s (NVOA) weight-loss drug Ozempic (Semaglutide) is associated with a lower risk of dementia and a range of other mental illnesses, raising hopes for the potential benefits of the drug.

The study found that after a year of taking Ozempic, patients taking the drug had a 48 per cent lower risk of dementia than those taking sitagliptin (a diabetes drug), and a 17 per cent lower risk of cognitive impairment than those taking sitagliptin or glipizide (another diabetes drug). The study also found that patients taking Ozempic had a 28 per cent lower risk of smoking than those taking glipizide.

Notably, the study did not randomly assign patients to take Ozempic or other drugs, but relied on medical records from 100,000 American patients. Researchers used statistical methods to ensure they were making as accurate a comparison as possible. John Wilding, professor of medicine at the University of Liverpool, said this meant “more research is needed to determine whether Semaglutide does indeed have benefits in reducing cognitive impairment in diabetes patients or reducing the smoking rate”.

The study is one of a series of trials testing the potential benefits of Semaglutide beyond diabetes and weight loss. Semaglutide is the main component of Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. Most other benefits of taking Semaglutide — for the heart, kidneys and knee joints — are related to weight loss, but scientists are also studying whether the drug can help treat alcoholism by reducing the urge to drink.

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