For the first time in Australia, a weight loss drug has been approved to also treat cardiovascular disease in overweight and obese patients. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has granted approval for semaglutide 2.4 mg (sold as Wegovy) to be used as a complementary therapy for reducing major adverse cardiovascular events such as cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (heart attack), or non-fatal stroke.
The approval follows findings from the SELECT trial, an international study involving more than 17,000 participants across 41 countries, including Australia. Results published in late 2023 showed that Wegovy reduced cardiovascular events by 20 percent in people with pre-existing heart disease who were overweight or obese but did not have diabetes.
