London, November 7 (IANS). Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has said that it is aware of the loss of life caused by Ozempic and Vegovy, two drugs used in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. Compounded versions of semaglutide are used in these medicines. According to the company, at least 10 people have died due to this. There is also news of 100 people being admitted to hospital among those who used these drugs.
Carsten Munk Knudsen, the company’s chief financial officer, said deaths and hospitalizations recorded over the past two years in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration database have been linked to semaglutide.
These reports are created based on data provided by doctors, patients, drug manufacturers and others. But it often doesn’t contain important details. These also do not reveal the cause of death.
According to the US FDA, the drug may be compounded for a patient who is allergic and unable to swallow the tablet or capsule.
Such medicines are also made by copying brand name medicines which are in short supply. Medicines are usually made by mixing or changing ingredients to meet demand. However, these drugs are not approved by the FDA.
“With the strict regulations in place in the United States, it is surprising that people in the country could inject themselves with a product that is not approved,” said Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk.
In a media briefing, Knudsen said that in addition to semaglutide, the company was also considering other combination products and was closely monitoring reports of hospitalizations and mortality.
The company informed the FDA about this. In October it asked the FDA to bar compounding pharmacies from selling copycat versions of Vegovy and Ozempic.
Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk shares jumped 8 percent after Wegovi sales beat expectations. Wegovi’s sales in the third quarter of 2024 were up 79 percent compared to the same period last year, the company said.
–IANS
MKS/KR
