At the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2025 in Madrid, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk unveiled real-world evidence that its obesity treatment Wegovy® (semaglutide 2.4 mg) significantly outperforms rival therapy tirzepatide in reducing cardiovascular risk.
The new findings, drawn from the STEER real-world study, compared outcomes for patients with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease (CVD) but without diabetes. Results showed that Wegovy users experienced a 57% greater reduction in risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) – including heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular-related death – than patients prescribed tirzepatide, provided their treatment remained uninterrupted.
During the trial, 15 cardiovascular events (0.1%) were recorded among Wegovy recipients, compared with 39 events (0.4%) in the tirzepatide group. The average follow-up was 3.8 months for Wegovy patients and 4.3 months for those on tirzepatide.
When accounting for all patients, regardless of treatment gaps, Wegovy still showed a significant 29% reduction in the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death compared with tirzepatide. The follow-up for this analysis was longer – 8.3 months in the Wegovy arm and 8.6 months for tirzepatide.
Ludovic Helfgott, executive vice president and head of Product & Portfolio Strategy at Novo Nordisk, said the evidence strengthens the case for semaglutide as the leading cardiovascular therapy in its class.
“Our landmark trial, SELECT, showed that Wegovy is associated with a 20% risk reduction of cardiovascular events, backed up with even greater risk reductions in the real-world studies SCORE and STEER,” Helfgott said.
“The results are clear – STEER demonstrates that Wegovy cuts the risk of heart attack, stroke or death by 57% compared to tirzepatide. This confirms semaglutide stands apart as the only available GLP-1 medication with proven cardiovascular benefits for people living with obesity and cardiovascular disease, without diabetes.”
GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide and tirzepatide have transformed treatment for obesity in recent years, offering effective weight management and potential cardiovascular advantages. However, until now, head-to-head real-world data on their long-term impact on heart health has been limited.
By reinforcing Wegovy’s position as the only GLP-1 treatment with demonstrated cardiovascular benefits, the STEER study may influence prescribing practices globally, especially for patients with obesity and existing CVD who are not living with diabetes.
The results are expected to add momentum to Novo Nordisk’s efforts to expand access to Wegovy worldwide, amid growing demand for weight-loss therapies and increasing attention to obesity as a major cardiovascular risk factor.
