Jonathan Raá | Nurfoto | fake images
Novo Nordisk shares rose 5% on Thursday morning, according to LSEG data, hitting new all-time highs after the Danish pharmaceutical giant reported positive data from early trials of a new experimental weight loss drug.
The company said in a meeting with investors that the Phase I trial of its long-awaited anti-obesity drug amicretin showed a 13.1% weight loss in participants after 12 weeks, according to Reuters. This reading dwarfs the 6% loss recorded after a 12-week trial for the company's popular anti-obesity drug Wegovy.
A Phase II trial will begin in the second half of this year with results expected in early 2026, the company said.
Shares in Novo Nordisk, Europe's largest company by market capitalization, have gained more than 27% since the start of the year as the pharmaceutical giant continues to reap the benefits of rampant demand for its flagship anti-obesity drugs Wegovy and Ozempic.
Earlier this week, Novo reported results from late-stage trials showing that Ozempic reduced the risk of kidney disease progression and death from kidney or cardiovascular complications by 24% in diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease.
The results added to growing evidence of broader health benefits associated with Ozempic and similar drugs, beyond weight loss and treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Actions of the American rival Eli Lilly They were down 1.3% in after-hours trading following the news.
