Novo Nordisk Alzheimer's drug trial fails to meet main goal, shares drop 10%
Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) said on Monday that an older oral version of its semaglutide drug failed to meet its primary endpoint in late-stage trials evaluating whether the medicine could slow cognitive decline in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, sending the company’s shares down 10%.
The disappointing results mark a significant setback for Novo, which has been exploring Alzheimer’s as a major potential new market for GLP-1 drugs following the blockbuster global success of Ozempic, Wegovy, and other semaglutide-based therapies for diabetes and obesity, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The trials tested Rybelsus, an oral semaglutide pill currently approved only for type 2 diabetes. While all three drugs — Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus — share the same active GLP-1 ingredient, Rybelsus failed to show that it could meaningfully slow Alzheimer’s progression in the EVOKE and EVOKE+ studies.
“While semaglutide did not demonstrate efficacy in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, the extensive body of evidence supporting semaglutide continues to provide benefits for individuals with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and related comorbidities,” said Chief Scientific Officer Martin Holst Lange.
Analysts had long been cautious about Novo’s Alzheimer’s ambitions. UBS previously estimated just a 10% probability of success for the trials, and company executives themselves acknowledged the uncertainty.
In September, Executive Vice President Ludovic Helfgott described the Alzheimer’s programme as a “lottery ticket” — potentially transformative, but far from guaranteed.
The results add to a difficult period for Novo Nordisk. After unprecedented demand for Wegovy helped fuel rapid growth, the company has recently faced slowing sales, a falling share price, leadership changes, and mass layoffs.
More than 55 million people worldwide live with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, and treatment options remain extremely limited. No therapy currently offers a cure.
Novo’s failure underscores the challenge of developing effective Alzheimer’s treatments, even for companies with leading positions in metabolic and neurological drug research.
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