Novo Nordisk Oral Semaglutide Cuts HbA1c in Youth Diabetes Trial

Novo Nordisk announced positive results from a late-stage clinical trial on Thursday, showing that its oral semaglutide pill significantly reduced blood sugar levels in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes.

The phase 3a PIONEER TEENS trial involved 132 participants aged 10 to 17 and lasted 26 weeks. Patients taking the drug achieved an average reduction in HbA1c, a key measure of blood sugar control, of 0.83 percentage points more than those receiving a placebo. The company described the difference as statistically significant, with a safety profile consistent with prior semaglutide studies in adults. This marks the first clinical evaluation of an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist, a class of medications that mimic a hormone to boost insulin release and slow digestion, in this younger age group.

Type 2 diabetes, long viewed as an adult condition, has surged among youth, driven by factors like rising obesity rates. In the United States, about 364,000 children and adolescents under age 20 live with diagnosed diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Current treatments are limited: Metformin, often the first-line option, fails to adequately control...