Novo Nordisk receives obesity drug approval from EMA

Novo Nordisk has been granted approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for a new drug designed to tackle obesity and its related health effects, entitled Saxenda.

Essentially, the medication is a higher dose form of its diabetes drug Victoza.

The EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has given its support to the development and usage of Saxenda (liraglutide 3 mg), which is intended for use by adults with a BMI of 30 or above, as this indicates that they are obese.

However, the drug may also be used by those with a BMI of 27 or over if they suffer from a weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.

Chief science officer at the pharmaceutical firm Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen said the company believes the new drug "has the potential to help some of these people achieve and maintain a clinically significant weight loss and improve their weight-related comorbidities".