Novo Nordisk’s CagriSema Appetite Study Adds Depth to Its Obesity Pipeline

Novo Nordisk (NVO) announced an update on their ongoing clinical study.

Study Overview: Novo Nordisk is running a clinical study called “An Investigation of the Effect of Cagrilintide and Semaglutide Combination Treatment (CagriSema) on Appetite and Functional Brain Activity in People With Overweight or Obesity.” The goal is to see how the CagriSema combo affects appetite, food intake, and related brain activity in adults with excess body weight. This work matters because it looks beyond weight loss on the scale and focuses on how the drug changes hunger signals and behavior, which can help investors judge how durable and differentiated this treatment might be.

Intervention/Treatment: The study tests CagriSema, a combination of two injectable drugs, cagrilintide and semaglutide, given under the skin. In Part B, participants receive either CagriSema or a placebo injection. The aim is to reduce appetite and lower energy intake, supporting sustained weight loss in people who are overweight or have obesity.

Study Design: This is an interventional Phase 1 study. Participants are randomly assigned to different groups, so each person has a similar chance of getting CagriSema or placebo. The design is parallel, meaning groups are treated at the same time rather than switching treatments. The trial is “quadruple-blind,” so participants, doctors, trial staff, and those measuring outcomes do not know who gets active drug or placebo. The main purpose is treatment, focused on how the drug changes appetite and brain activity linked to eating.

Study Timeline: The trial started after its first submission on February 12, 2024, marking the official launch of the study plan. The study is now listed as completed, meaning treatment and follow-up are done, and the team is likely analyzing data. A key milestone is the recent update on January 6, 2026, which signals that Novo Nordisk has refreshed the record, often a sign that timelines, status, or internal analyses have progressed, even though formal results are not yet posted.

Market Implications: For investors, this update reinforces the strategic push by Novo Nordisk to deepen its obesity franchise beyond existing semaglutide products like Wegovy. If CagriSema shows clear appetite control and strong brain-activity signals, it could support better long-term weight loss and adherence, strengthening Novo Nordisk’s competitive edge versus Eli Lilly and others in the obesity and metabolic space. The completed status and recent update may support positive sentiment and narrative around pipeline depth, even in the absence of published results. However, without data, the stock impact should remain modest and speculative, with investors watching closely for the first readouts and any commentary on differentiation versus current GLP-1 treatments.

The study is now completed and recently updated, with more details to be released through the ClinicalTrials portal.

To learn more about NVO’s potential, visit the Novo Nordisk drug pipeline page.