A new observational study has identified a potential link between Novo Nordisk A/S's (NYSE:NVO) GLP-1 drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide), and a serious eye condition known as nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which can lead to vision loss.
NAION refers to a loss of blood flow to the optic nerve (the cable that connects the eye to the brain). This condition typically causes sudden vision loss in one eye without any pain.
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The study revealed that individuals with diabetes who received and filled a semaglutide prescription were over four times more likely to be diagnosed with NAION.
Additionally, those who were prescribed semaglutide and were overweight or obese had more than seven times the risk of receiving this diagnosis.
The study reviewed 710 patients with type 2 diabetes, finding that 17 cases of NAION occurred in those prescribed semaglutide, equivalent to a cumulative rate of 8.9% over three years.
Comparatively, six cases were found among patients using non-GLP-1 diabetes drugs, yielding a cumulative rate of 1.8%. Statistical analysis estimated that semaglutide users had a 4.28 times greater risk of developing NAION.
In a separate cohort of 979 overweight or obese patients, 20 cases of NAION were identified in those prescribed semaglutide, resulting in a cumulative rate of 6.7%. Only three cases were found in patients using non-GLP-1 obesity drugs, with a cumulative rate of 0.8%.
This indicated a 7.64 times greater risk for semaglutide users.
Several study limitations were noted. Mass Eye and Ear treats a disproportionately high number of individuals with rare eye diseases, the study population is predominantly white, and there were relatively few NAION cases over the six years, making the statistics volatile.
Additionally, the researchers couldn't confirm whether patients consistently took their medication or if they started and then stopped semaglutide, which could have affected their risk.
The study does not establish causality, and the researchers are uncertain about the reasons behind the observed association or the differences between diabetic and overweight groups.
Price Action: NVO shares are down 3.85% at $137.48 at last check Wednesday.
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一項新的觀察性研究發現，諾和諾德A/S（紐約證券交易所代碼：NVO）的 GLP-1 藥物、Ozempic和Wegovy（索瑪魯肽）與一種可能導致視力喪失的被稱爲非動脈炎性前缺血性視神經病變（NAION）的嚴重眼部疾病之間可能存在聯繫。
NAION 是指流向視神經（連接眼睛和大腦的電纜）的血液流失。這種情況通常會導致一隻眼睛突然失去視力，而不會出現任何疼痛。
另請閱讀：喬·拜登建議諾和諾德、禮來降低其受歡迎的肥胖藥物的價格。
該研究表明，接受並開具索瑪魯肽處方的糖尿病患者被診斷出患有NAION的可能性要高出四倍以上。
此外，服用索馬魯肽處方且體重過重或肥胖的人接受這種診斷的風險是其七倍以上。
該研究調查了710名2型糖尿病患者，發現處方索馬魯肽的患者中有17例NAION，相當於三年內的累計發病率爲8.9％。
相比之下，在使用非GLP-1糖尿病藥物的患者中發現了六例病例，累計發病率爲1.8％。統計分析估計，索馬魯肽使用者患NAION的風險要高4.28倍。
在另一組979名超重或肥胖患者中，在處方索馬魯肽的患者中發現了20例NAION病例，累計發病率爲6.7％。在使用非GLP-1肥胖藥物的患者中僅發現了三例病例，累積率爲0.8％。
這表明索瑪魯肽使用者的風險增加了7.64倍。
注意到一些研究侷限性。Mass Eye and Ear治療的罕見眼病患者數量不成比例，研究人群以白人爲主，而且在過去六年中，NAION的病例相對較少，這使得統計數據不穩定。
此外，研究人員無法確認患者是否持續服藥，或者他們是否開始服用索馬魯肽然後停藥，這可能會影響他們的風險。
該研究沒有確定因果關係，研究人員不確定觀察到的關聯背後的原因或糖尿病患者與超重群體之間的差異。
價格走勢：週三最後一次檢查時，NVO股價下跌3.85％，至137.48美元。
- 諾和諾德停止了實驗性高血壓藥物的後期研究，收取了超過8億美元的減值費用。
圖片來自 Shutterstock
