An experimental new weight reduction tablet from Danish pharmaceutical big Novo Nordisk could possibly be twice as efficient as its blockbuster Ozempic and Wegovy jabs, early outcomes from a small trial have advised, sending the agency’s shares hovering.The drug amycretin induced folks to lose 13 p.c of their physique weight over three months, in response to the outcomes of a section one trial introduced by the corporate.Earlier trials have discovered that Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy medicine result in round six p.c physique weight reduction over the identical interval.Nevertheless consultants emphasised that considerably extra analysis was wanted to ascertain the long-term effectiveness and security of amycretin.Nonetheless, the announcement at an investor occasion on Thursday despatched Novo Nordisk’s shares capturing up greater than eight p.c.The immense recognition of this new era of medication referred to as GLP-1 agonists have already made Novo Nordisk Europe’s Most worthy firm, at the same time as overwhelming demand has sparked main inventory shortages.Not like different semaglutide medicine akin to Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, amycretin was taken as a tablet, quite than a once-weekly injection.Much like these medicine, amycretin mimics the appetite-reducing intestine hormone GLP-1.However it additionally mimics one other hormone referred to as amylin.”This method appears to be somewhat bit extra thrilling, from the restricted knowledge that we now have,” Daniel Drucker, a researcher on the Canada’s College of Toronto, informed New Scientist.However way more knowledge was wanted, he mentioned, including that amycretin has not been straight in comparison with different medicine in a head-to-head trial.Novo Nordisk’s govt vp for growth Martin Holst Lange informed the investor occasion that amycretin has the “potential of displaying the identical efficacy and security as CagriSema,” one other of the agency’s GLP-1 agonist medicine which targets amylin.The outcomes from a trial of an injectable type of amycretin are anticipated sooner or later subsequent yr, he mentioned. The agency would then look into an “bold additional growth programme,” he added.For the amycretin trial, which concerned 16 folks with a mean weight of 89 kilograms, these given a placebo misplaced one p.c of their physique weight over 12 weeks.GLP-1 agonists have been discovered to chop the danger of heart problems related to weight problems – however additionally they heighten the danger of gastrointestinal issues, research present.Analysis has additionally demonstrated that after folks cease taking the medicine, they largely regain the load they’d misplaced.© Agence France-Presse