Novo Nordisk Says Semaglutide Can Alleviate "Food Noise"

On September 19 local time, at the 2025 European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting held in Vienna, Austria, Novo Nordisk presented real-world research results from a U.S.-based study on patients using semaglutide for weight loss (brand name: NovoCare). The study showed that after treatment with NovoCare, participants experienced a significant reduction in "food noise," with 46% of patients freed from obsessive thoughts about food.

So-called "food noise" refers to uncontrollable, persistent thoughts about food. "Food noise" can impact the mental health, quality of life, and weight loss progress of overweight or obese patients. By alleviating "food noise," patients' mental health can also benefit.

Additionally, Novo Nordisk released new data on semaglutide for weight loss, indicating that 84.5% of weight loss comes from body fat, with no loss of muscle function. For overweight or obese patients, maximizing the reduction of body fat rather than lean mass during weight loss helps improve body composition and maintain physical function.

Novo Nordisk's semaglutide is actively addressing challenges from competitor Eli Lilly. After the company announced large-scale global layoffs last week, its stock price rose by over 11% within a week. The company's stock has now recovered by more than one-third from its low in early August.

Martin Holst Lange, Chief Scientific Officer of Novo Nordisk, told investors during EASD that the company aims to become more agile. He stated: "We are making decision-making more efficient, and our clinical pipeline progress will also accelerate."