Novo trial shows semaglutide reduced obesity in children under 12

Anabelle Colaco
09 Sep 2026, 12:32 GMT+10

More than 40 percent of children aged six to under 12 who received semaglutide in a late-stage Novo Nordisk trial were no longer classified as having obesity after 68 weeks, assuming full adherence to the treatment
Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Novo's blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy
All patients enrolled in the trial received lifestyle modification throughout the study, including a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, Novo said in a statement

COPENHAGEN, Denmark: More than 40 percent of children aged six to under 12 who received semaglutide in a late-stage Novo Nordisk trial were no longer classified as having obesity after 68 weeks, assuming full adherence to the treatment, the company said September 7.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Novo's blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy. The results came from the company's STEP Young trial.

All patients enrolled in the trial received lifestyle modification throughout the study, including a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, Novo said in a statement.

"We are encouraged by the positive STEP Young results and semaglutide's potential to help children living with obesity who need medical treatment, alongside lifestyle changes, to better manage their obesity," Novo's Chief Scientific Officer Martin Holst Lange said.

Novo said 40.4 percent of the children treated with semaglutide were no longer classified as having obesity after 68 weeks, assuming they fully adhered to the treatment.

The company said the trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating superior body mass index reduction at week 68 among children taking once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide compared with those receiving a placebo.

The overall safety and tolerability of semaglutide were consistent with results seen in trials involving adults and adolescents, Novo added.

The results come as prescriptions for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs among U.S. children under 12 have risen more than 300-fold since 2019, according to a study published on September 4, even though the drugs are not approved for that age group.