Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO.US) announced on Thursday that its oral GLP-1 drug significantly reduced blood sugar levels in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes, achieving the primary objective of a late-stage trial. The Danish pharmaceutical company tested the pill over 26 weeks on 132 patients aged 10 to 17. Study results showed that patients taking the drug experienced an average reduction in blood sugar levels that was 0.83 percentage points greater than those taking a placebo, a difference the company described as "statistically significant." This trial marks the first time an oral GLP-1 therapy has been tested in a pediatric and adolescent population. GLP-1 drugs are widely known for their blockbuster treatments in diabetes and weight loss. Type 2 diabetes, once considered an adult disease, is increasingly being diagnosed in younger populations. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 364,000 children and adolescents under the age of 20 in the United States are diagnosed with diabetes. Treatment options for younger patients remain limited; doctors typically rely on metformin or insulin. However, metformin fails to effectively control blood sugar in about half of adolescent patients, while insulin carries risks such as hypoglycemia and weight gain. Currently, no oral GLP-1 therapy is approved for use in children or adolescents. Novo Nordisk's pill has the potential to become the first approved product in this area. The company plans to submit applications to regulatory authorities in the second half of 2026 to expand the indications for its oral semaglutide drugs, Ozempic and Rybelsus, in both the United States and the European Union. Positive results in the younger patient population could not only extend Novo Nordisk's semaglutide product line beyond adults but also strengthen its leading position against competitors like Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY.US) in the diabetes and weight loss treatment markets.
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