Novo Nordisk is making another attempt to secure public funding for its semaglutide drug Wegovy, but only for patients with established cardiovascular disease and obesity.

It follows two knockbacks, most recently in 2023 when the PBAC recommended against subsidising Wegovy for adults with a BMI ≥40 and at least two weight-related comorbidities. 

At the time, the PBAC said Novo Nordisk had not clearly identified the patients most likely to benefit from significant weight loss and there was “no strong clinical rationale” for the list of comorbidities.

Studies published in November 2023 suggested that semaglutide reduced the risk of cardiovascular events, but because Novo Nordisk had not formally submitted the trial data to the PBAC in time, these were not considered in detail.