Wegovy HD 7.2 mg Q1 Contribution: STEP UP Trial 21% Mean Weight Loss at 72 Weeks Anchors Premium-Tier Adoption
Novo Nordisk's Q1 print clarified that Wegovy HD (semaglutide 7.2 mg injection) — approved by the FDA in March and launched in the US on April 7 — is contributing to the premium-tier injectable mix alongside the standard 2.4 mg dose. The STEP UP trial showed 21% mean weight loss at 72 weeks if all patients stayed on treatment (19% regardless), with 89% on 7.2 mg achieving ≥5% body-weight reduction versus 38% with placebo. The label requires four-plus weeks of tolerability on semaglutide 2.4 mg before stepping up. NovoCare prices the 7.2 mg dose at $399/month self-pay and as low as $25 for many commercially insured patients via the savings offer. Dysesthesia at 22% on 7.2 mg vs. 6% on 2.4 mg and 0.3% on placebo is the only meaningful safety signal beyond the broader GLP-1 class.