Novo Nordisk (NVO.US) announced on Monday that in a late-stage clinical trial, its blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy's active ingredient, semaglutide, helped 40.4% of children aged 6 to under 12 with obesity no longer meet obesity criteria after 68 weeks, provided the participants fully adhered to the treatment regimen.

The company stated in a release that all participants in the study, named STEP Young, received lifestyle interventions throughout the trial period, including calorie restriction and increased physical activity.

Novo Nordisk's Chief Scientific Officer, Martin Holst Lange, expressed optimism about the findings, stating: "The positive results from the STEP Young trial are encouraging, and we see potential in semaglutide to assist children living with obesity—those who, beyond lifestyle modifications, require pharmacological treatment to manage their condition more effectively."

The company confirmed that the trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a significantly greater reduction in body mass index (BMI) at week 68 for participants receiving the once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide injection compared to the placebo group. It also noted that the overall safety and tolerability profile of semaglutide was consistent with findings from previous trials involving adults and adolescents.

Notably, a study released last Friday revealed that despite GLP-1 weight-loss drugs not yet being approved for children under 12, prescriptions for this age group in the United States have surged by more than 300-fold since 2019.