Health
Greater weight loss promised by higher-dose Wegovy shot, now approved by FDA
Novo Nordisk to slash Wegovy, Ozempic list prices
Board certified rheumatologist Dr. Mahsa Tehrani discusses Novo Nordisk’s decision to dramatically cut the U.S. list prices for its popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy on ‘America Reports.’
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday its approval of a new, higher-dose Wegovy (semaglutide) injection.
The 7.2 mg dosage, called Wegovy HD, is intended for weight loss and long-term weight loss maintenance for adult patients. It is triple the previous maximum dose of 2.4 mg.
This marks the fourth approval in the FDA’s National Priority Voucher pilot program, which “seeks to expedite approval of applications that address critical national health priorities,” according to FDA Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary.
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“The new FDA is moving with unprecedented efficiency on products that advance national priorities,” he said in a press release. “Today’s approval is another demonstration of what the FDA can accomplish when we try bold new things.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday its approval of a new, higher-dose Wegovy (semaglutide) injection. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The higher-dose GLP-1 is indicated to “reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long-term in adults with obesity, or overweight with at least one weight-related condition,” per the FDA’s statement.
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“The approval of a new higher dose will provide adult patients with an additional therapeutic option, offering the potential for greater weight loss,” the agency stated.
The FDA’s approval, granted to drugmaker Novo Nordisk, was supported by clinical data that found higher doses resulted in additional average weight reduction compared to previous dosing.
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Higher-dose patients with both obesity and type 2 diabetes saw similar lowering of blood sugar compared to the lower dose, the agency noted.
The safety profile is consistent with the known side effects of semaglutide, which commonly include gastrointestinal reactions like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain.
Wegovy HD (7.2 mg) is triple the dosage compared to the previous maximum dose of 2.4 mg. (Steve Christo – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
Skin sensitivity, pain or burning occurred more frequently with higher doses of Wegovy, but generally resolved on their own or with dose reduction, the FDA reported. The agency is investigating these adverse effects.
The FDA warned that Wegovy should not be used by patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (a type of thyroid cancer) or who have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (a rare inherited genetic disorder that causes tumors to develop in certain hormone-producing glands). All patients should see a doctor for guidance on proper use.
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Jamey Millar, executive vice president of U.S. operations for Novo Nordisk, commented on this approval in a press release.
“We are excited to bring Wegovy HD injection to adults with obesity who are looking for powerful weight loss, as no other weight-loss medicine has been studied to show superiority to Wegovy HD,” he said.
Millar also noted that Wegovy has been shown to reduce the risk of events such as stroke, heart attack or cardiovascular death in those who also have known heart disease.
A weight-loss expert warned that Wegovy HD should be used only for obesity management. (iStock)
Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight-loss specialist practicing in New York and New Jersey, reflected on results of the STEP UP clinical trial, on which the drug’s approval was based.
Patients taking the higher dose experienced an average weight loss of 20.7% compared to about 16% on the standard dose, the doctor noted. About one-third lost 25% or more of their body weight.
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“For patients who start on 2.4 mg and then hit a frustrating plateau, or for those with a very high baseline BMI who may need a stronger metabolic push, this creates a legitimate, evidence-based escalation path rather than forcing an early switch to another drug class,” Balazs, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“That said, I think this is an interesting approval, but I do not expect it to dramatically reshape the GLP-1 landscape,” he went on. “It gives Novo Nordisk an opportunity to remain competitive on efficacy while it continues developing next-generation therapies.”
“This creates a legitimate, evidence-based escalation path.”
“Other drugs have already shown greater efficacy in prior studies, and the broader GLP-1 space is likely to see much more significant change as new molecules enter the market.”
Balazs called the higher dosage a “major jump,” noting that the incidences of stomach- and skin-related side effects at this higher dose are “meaningful.”
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“This approval is for obesity management, not diabetes treatment,” the expert emphasized. “For patients with type 2 diabetes, currently approved semaglutide dosing remains lower unless the primary treatment goal is weight loss under the obesity indication.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the FDA for comment.
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Eliminating sugar from your diet may seem like the key to healthy eating, but research suggests it could have unintended effects on digestive health.
A study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, suggests that a total lack of sucrose, or table sugar, may harm gut health and disrupt the body’s natural metabolism.
To explore how the total absence of dietary sugar impacts the body, researchers at the Dasman Diabetes Institute in Kuwait City conducted a 16-week study on two groups of mice. Both groups were placed on a low-fat diet, but with one critical difference.
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One group consumed a low-fat diet that included a standard amount of sucrose, while the other group ate a low-fat diet that was completely sugar-free, according to the study’s press release.
Throughout the trial, the scientists monitored a wide variety of physiological factors, including the animals’ weight, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, hormone levels, internal inflammation and the specific composition of their gut bacteria.
A total lack of dietary sugar can cause imbalances in the gut bacteria and lead to signs of fatty liver disease, even without any weight gain, researchers said. (iStock)
The study outcome suggested that completely removing sugar caused several unexpected health problems.
“Completely removing sucrose from a low-fat diet may unexpectedly disrupt gut health and promote inflammation and metabolic dysfunction,” Rasheed Ahmad, principal scientist and head of the Immunology & Microbiology Department at the Dasman Diabetes Institute, said in the release.
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Even though the mice on the sugar-free diet did not gain any extra weight compared to the control group, their internal health indicators deteriorated.
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The animals that lacked sucrose developed an imbalance in their gut microbes and increased inflammation within the intestines and liver.
They also showed signs of poor glucose regulation, insulin resistance and cellular changes associated with fatty liver disease, according to the research.
Future dietary guidelines may shift away from strict, absolute sugar bans and instead focus on overall gut health through balanced nutrition. (iStock)
“The findings suggest that complete removal of sucrose from a low-fat diet may negatively affect gut microbiota and metabolic health,” Ahmad concluded.
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While the risks of high-sugar diets are well-established, the researchers noted that little attention has been given to the effects of completely eliminating sugar from low-fat meals.
Scientists say these new findings highlight that dietary carbohydrates play a valuable role in supporting balance between the immune system and the gut microbiome.
Completely cutting sucrose from a low-fat diet can unexpectedly trigger gut inflammation and disrupt the metabolism, experts say. (iStock)
Because this research was conducted on mice over a relatively short 16-week period, further clinical trials are necessary to determine whether a completely sugar-free diet causes the same gut and liver inflammation in humans.
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Additionally, the study focused specifically on removing sucrose from low-fat meals, meaning the results might not apply to people eliminating sugar while following higher-fat or ketogenic eating plans, the researchers noted.
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The team believes that future dietary guidelines may shift away from strict, absolute sugar restrictions and instead place a greater emphasis on maintaining a diverse, healthy population of gut bacteria through balanced nutrition.
“In the long term, these findings could help improve strategies for preventing and managing metabolic disorders, fatty liver disease and chronic inflammatory conditions,” Ahmad said.
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A cure for cancer could be on the horizon in the next decade, according to experts.
During the WSJ Leadership Institute CEO Summit in London last week, Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Joaquin Duato reflected on the pharmaceutical company’s projections on the future of cancer treatment.
In the next 10 years, the goal is to “try to eliminate cancer,” Duato shared.
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“That’s a high goal, and we are already making significant progress in certain cancers,” he said.
Duato used multiple myeloma as an example, noting that the life expectancy is currently 10 years, when it was previously “only single years.”
Joaquin Duato, chairman and CEO of Johnson and Johnson, speaks at the Punchbowl News Conference at Union Station on March 10, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
“We have treatments now that utilize your own immune system to attack the cancer,” he said at the summit. “For patients who were already going into hospice, so they didn’t have any other alternative, they are [at] more than five years, with a single administration, in remission. That [is] spectacular.”
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“When patients see that, they cannot believe that because they have been coming to the hospital every week [for] a decade, having multiple therapies.”
The goal is to “try to eliminate cancer” in the next 10 years, the pharmaceutical executive said. (iStock)
According to Duato, Johnson & Johnson is working to understand the biology of cancer growth and to formulate new technologies to address it.
“It’s realistic to believe that we are going to cure certain cancers, and some others we’re going to turn into chronic diseases,” he predicted.
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“Cancer is an important thing – I cannot think about anybody who has not been touched by cancer,” he went on. “But there are many other opportunities for us to actually advance science, to address very important social problems.”
Duato called out dementia as another “important problem” in need of a solution.
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He predicted that life expectancy, which has risen steadily over the past century, will continue to increase as longevity technologies and solutions advance, improving quality of life along the way.
Duato commented that J&J has been optimistic about the role artificial intelligence will play in the future of healthcare, calling it a “force multiplier.”
Biomarkers and AI can help with the earlier diagnosis of cancer, as well as a more advanced and personalized approach to surgery, a doctor noted. (iStock)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel agreed with Duato’s outlook on the future of cancer care, noting that certain cancers will turn into chronic diseases while others will find outright cures.
“Advances [will be] based on the use of AI to help guide targeted treatments with expanding knowledge of cancer mutations and how to target them,” he predicted, speaking to Fox News Digital.
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Siegel added that biomarkers and AI can help with earlier diagnoses, as well as a more advanced and personalized approach to surgery.
J&J recently acquired Firefly Bio, a biotech firm that produces drugs that enter cancer cells to “target certain proteins that contain difficult to treat gene mutations,” the doctor added.
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