Key Takeaways
- Novo Nordisk's (NVO) Ozempic® demonstrated a 23% reduction in the combined risk of heart attack, stroke, and death when compared to dulaglutide in the first head-to-head real-world study, a significant finding for type 2 diabetes patients with cardiovascular disease.
- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is slated to travel to Busan, South Korea, from September 30 to October 1 to meet with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, according to Japanese media reports.
- The "REACH" real-world study on Ozempic® included nearly 60,000 US Medicare patients aged 66 and older, addressing a critical data gap for an elderly, high-risk demographic.
- This upcoming summit between Japan and South Korea highlights continued efforts in "shuttle diplomacy" to enhance bilateral relations, occurring as Prime Minister Ishiba prepares to step down from his role.
Novo Nordisk (NVO) announced today that its blockbuster drug, Ozempic® (semaglutide), significantly reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in a groundbreaking real-world study. The study showed that Ozempic® was associated with a 23% lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and death compared to dulaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These findings stem from the "REACH" real-world study, the first head-to-head comparison of these two glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications in everyday clinical use.
The comprehensive study involved nearly 60,000 US Medicare patients aged 66 years or older, all living with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Additionally, the data revealed that Ozempic® was associated with a 26% lower risk of death compared to dulaglutide. These results were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2025 Annual Meeting, providing crucial evidence for older patients where clinical data has historically been limited. Filip Krag Knop, senior vice president and incoming chief medical officer at Novo Nordisk, emphasized that these data reinforce the well-established clinical evidence of semaglutide.
In geopolitical news, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is scheduled for a two-day visit to Busan, South Korea, from September 30 to October 1. During his trip, he is expected to hold a summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. This high-level meeting, reported by various Japanese media outlets, will be a significant diplomatic engagement.
The visit is particularly notable as Prime Minister Ishiba is an outgoing leader, having announced his resignation amid a domestic political crisis. Japan is set to elect a new prime minister in early October. This trip is seen as part of the ongoing "regular reciprocal visits" or "shuttle diplomacy" between the two nations, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. Ishiba and President Lee last met in August, where they discussed enhancing relations.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.