2023-06-22 17:34:49
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has warned of the risk of thyroid cancer associated with taking diabetes and obesity drugs from Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk. The warning also includes GLP-1 drugs from competitors Eli Lilly, Astrazeneca and Sanofi. GLP-1 is involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism.
An EMA spokesman said on Thursday there were indications in a study that people with type 2 diabetes taking medications containing the active substance semaglutide could be at an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer. According to EMA, the companies have until July 26 to provide the requested additional information. The other three companies were initially unavailable for comment.
“Novo Nordisk is aware of the warning and the request from the EMA and will provide a thorough assessment of all relevant data in order to clarify the matter,” said a company spokesman. So far, large-scale studies have not shown a “causal connection” between the intake of the active ingredient semaglutide and thyroid cancer. “Patient safety is a top priority for Novo Nordisk and we take all reports of adverse events from the use of our medicines very seriously.”
Sales of semaglutide-based products accounted for almost 44 percent of group revenues in 2022. The active ingredient is a component of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes and obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. Both the EMA and the corresponding US agency FDA mention on Wegovy’s package insert that semaglutide causes thyroid tumors in rodents. The effects on humans are unknown. The FDA advises against taking Wegovy if there is a family history of thyroid cancer in patients.
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