Core Insights - Novo Nordisk presented data from the STEER real-world study at the ESC Congress 2025, comparing the cardiovascular risks of Wegovy (semaglutide) and Eli Lilly's tirzepatide in patients with obesity and established cardiovascular disease (CVD) without diabetes [1]. Group 1: Cardiovascular Risk Reduction - Wegovy demonstrated a 57% greater risk reduction for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) compared to tirzepatide in patients with obesity and CVD, with no treatment gaps exceeding 30 days [2]. - In the study, 15 cardiovascular events (0.1%) were recorded with Wegovy, while 39 events (0.4%) were noted with tirzepatide, with average follow-up durations of 3.8 months for Wegovy and 4.3 months for tirzepatide [3]. Group 2: Overall Treatment Efficacy - Regardless of treatment gaps, Wegovy showed a 29% risk reduction for heart attack, stroke, and death from any cause compared to tirzepatide, with an average follow-up of 8.3 months for Wegovy and 8.6 months for tirzepatide [4]. - A total of 56 cardiovascular events (0.5%) were recorded with Wegovy, compared to 83 events (0.8%) with tirzepatide [4][5]. Group 3: Future Developments - Novo Nordisk plans to seek U.S. regulatory approval for a high-dose version of Wegovy, which offers similar weight-loss potential as Eli Lilly's Zepbound, providing patients with additional treatment options [6]. - Following the announcement, Novo Nordisk's stock (NVO) rose by 7.63% to $62.64 in premarket trading [6].

Core Insights - The 2025 ESC/EAS Dyslipidemia Guideline Update reaffirms high-dose icosapent ethyl (IPE) as a Class IIA recommended therapy for high-risk or very high-risk patients to reduce cardiovascular events based on the REDUCE-IT trial findings [1][14] Group 1: REDUCE-IT Trial Findings - Three sub-analyses from the REDUCE-IT trial demonstrate significant reductions in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and outcomes associated with IPE administration in patients with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, stratified by baseline apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and fasting triglyceride-rich lipoprotein cholesterol (TRL-C) levels [1][2] - IPE treatment showed a 44% relative risk reduction (RRR) for the primary composite endpoint in patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m², with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.56 (95% CI 0.39, 0.79), P = 0.001, and an absolute risk reduction (ARR) of 11.2% [4][5] Group 2: Impact on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) - IPE treatment resulted in significant reductions in MACE across all quartiles of baseline ApoB and TRL-C concentrations, with HRs ranging from 0.72 to 0.80 for ApoB and from 0.74 to 0.68 for TRL-C, all with P ≤ 0.02 [8][9] Group 3: Hospitalization and Mortality Outcomes - IPE significantly reduced total hospitalizations (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.84, 0.98, P=0.017) and increased the likelihood of surviving without hospitalization (odds ratio (OR) 1.12, 95% CI 1.02, 1.22, P=0.016) [12][13] Group 4: Clinical Recommendations - The ESC/EAS guidelines recommend high-dose IPE for patients with elevated triglyceride levels (135–499 mg/dL) despite statin therapy, emphasizing its role in reducing CVD events [14]