Novo Nordisk has decided to pull the plug on its Alzheimer’s drug program built around semaglutide. The decision came after results from two large studies showed the drug did not meaningfully slow the disease’s progression — it performed no better than a placebo.
The news has weighed heavily on the company’s stock, which was already under pressure in the weeks leading up to the announcement.
Semaglutide is the active ingredient behind Novo Nordisk’s widely used drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, both developed to treat diabetes and obesity. Abandoning this programme is a significant blow for the company, and a reminder of just how difficult it remains to crack Alzheimer’s — even for a pharmaceutical giant with proven molecules already in hand.
