Novo Nordisk's Semaglutide Combo Therapy Helps Reduce Childhood Obesity in Late-stage Study

06:35 AM EDT, 09/07/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Novo Nordisk's (NOVO-B.CO) semaglutide combination treatment helped reduce body mass index in children aged six to under 12 with obesity in the Danish drugmaker's Step Young phase 3 clinical trial. Results from the late-stage study showed that 40.4% of patients with class II or III severe obesity reduced their BMI to normal weight or overweight classification after 68 weeks of once-a-week treatment with semaglutide, along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, compared with placebo or non-treated patients, according to a Monday release. Novo Nordisk added that semaglutide's overall safety and tolerability in the trial was consistent with its previous pediatric and adult studies, with no new safety concerns identified.