Wegovy prescribed to adolescents for obesity

Expected to provide broader therapeutic benefit

First once-weekly GLP-1 injection approved for patients aged 12 and up…shows 16% weight reduction

Expected to shift the treatment paradigm amid rising youth obesity in Korea

Novo Nordisk held an event on the 28th at the Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Namdaemun for its obesity treatment drug

Wegovy, which has settled as a leading therapy for adult obesity, has expanded its reach into adolescent obesity.

 

Following approvals in the US and Europe, Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy can now be prescribed to patients aged 12 and older in Korea.

 

With this, calls from the medical community on earlier intervention for obesity are gaining traction.

 

Experts describe this approval as “not merely an expansion of indication, but an institutional turning point recognizing adolescent obesity as a chronic disease.” Adolexcent obesity moves out of the treatment blind spot Novo Nordisk held a press conference on the 28th to mark the expanded adolescent indication for its obesity treatment Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4mg), sharing key clinical results and future treatment strategies.

 

Wegovy is a once-weekly GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist approved last year in Korea for treating adult obesity.

 

With the new indication, it can now be used for adolescent patients aged 12 and above in Korea, emerging as a new treatment option for obesity during the growth years.

 

According to Novo Nordisk, semaglutide 2.4mg is structurally similar to human GLP-1.

 

It regulates overall metabolism not only through weight loss but also by improving blood glucose and lipid levels.

 

Ju Ok Lim, Head of Medical Affairs at Novo Nordisk, said, “Semaglutide 2.4mg demonstrated consistent weight loss effects and safety not only in adults but also in adolescents.

 

The indication expansion will serve as an opportunity to address the treatment gap for adolescent obesity.” Until now, obesity treatments available for children and adolescents aged 12 and older in Korea have been extremely limited.

 

Representative options include the fat absorption inhibitor ‘orlistat’ and the once-daily GLP-1 class injectable ‘Saxenda (liraglutide)’.

 

Latest adult-targeted medications like ‘Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate)’ and ‘Mounjaro (tirzepatide)’ are not yet approved for adolescent use.

 

The approval of Wegovy expands access to weekly therapy-based treatment approaches.

 

Julie Broe Honore, Head of clinical development, medical and regulatory affairs at Novo Nordisk, said, “Adolescent obesity is no longer an individual problem but a public health issue.

 

This expansion of Wegovy's indication marks the first step toward preventing adult metabolic diseases through early intervention.” STEP TEENS study…16% weight reduction & improved cardiovascular risk factors This expansion of Wegovy's indication is based on results from the Phase III STEP TEENS clinical trial conducted in adolescents.

 

The study involved 201 adolescents aged 12-18 who were obese or overweight and had weight-related conditions, conducted over 68 weeks.

 

The average age was 15.4 years, 62% were female, and the racial distribution was 79% White, 8% Black, and 2% Asian.

 

Clinical results showed the Wegovy group achieved an average BMI (Body Mass Index) reduction of 16.1%, demonstrating a significant difference compared to the placebo group, which increased by 0.6%.

 

Approximately 72.5% of patients achieved at least a 5% weight loss, nearly four times higher than the placebo group (17.7%), with an average weight loss of 15.3 kg.

 

Notably, 37.4% of patients achieved a weight loss of 20% or more, demonstrating efficacy in adolescents comparable to that seen in adults.

 

Improvements were observed not only in cardiovascular risk factors like waist circumference, blood pressure, and lipid levels, but also in quality of life (QoL) indicators.

 

Eun-gu Kang, Professor of Pediatrics at Korea University Ansan Hospital

The main adverse reactions reported were gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, but most were mild and did not affect growth or pubertal development.

 

Eun-gu Kang, Professor of Pediatrics at Korea University Ansan Hospital, commented, “Beyond weight reduction, the study confirmed metabolic benefits such as LDL cholesterol reduction and improvements in blood pressure and waist circumference, suggesting positive cardiovascular implications.” He further noted, “However, as adolescents are still in the process of growth, long-term follow-up and accumulation of safety data are necessary.” Adolescent obesity rate increases 1.7 times over 10 years Experts unanimously agreed that this approval holds significance in terms of ‘securing treatment accessibility’.

 

According to the ‘2024 Adolescent Health Behavior Survey’ conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Ministry of Education, the obesity rate among middle and high school students rose from 7.5% in 2015 to 12.5% last year, a 1.7-fold increase over 10 years.

 

The overweight/obesity rate for male students is 43.0%, and for female students, 24.6%, the highest among the four East Asian countries, including China, Japan, and Taiwan.

 

The main concern is comorbidities.

 

Around 80% of obese adolescents remain obese into adulthood and often develop one or more metabolic disorders, such as hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia.

 

Yong-hee Hong, Professor of Pediatrics at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital

This is why experts point out that adolescent obesity should be viewed not as a mere ‘cosmetic issue’ but as a disease requiring early intervention.

 

Yong-hee Hong, Professor of Pediatrics at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, emphasized “Obesity is clearly a disease requiring treatment, yet it is often still perceived as a cosmetic issue.

 

This perception must change so that patients who actually need medication can be brought into the healthcare system.” Young-sung Suh, Professor of Family Medicine at Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital and President of the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity, stated, “Obesity is not a matter of willpower but a complex metabolic disorder.

 

At the society level, we will focus on enhancing treatment accessibility while ensuring safe medication use and preventing misuse.” While some raise concerns about muscle loss with GLP-1 agonists, experts see significant clinical benefits due to their fat-focused weight reduction.

 

Lim said, “Some muscle loss may occur with weight reduction, but overall, the health benefits from fat loss are far greater.

 

We will strengthen education and management to enable healthy weight loss alongside the metabolic improvement.” Kang added, “While muscle loss in patients during growth periods requires caution, GLP-1 drugs often yield positive outcomes in body composition changes.

 

Controlling fat mass and maintaining nutritional balance are more important than just body weight numbers.”