By Fineline Cube 
Danish biopharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE: NVO) presented compelling real‑world evidence from the STEER (Semaglutide vs. Tirzepatide in Overweight/Obesity) study at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress. The study compared the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in people with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease (CVD) but without diabetes, using Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg) versus tirzepatide.
Key Findings
| Metric | Wegovy | Tirzepatide | Relative Risk Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| MACE (no gaps >30 days) | 15 events (0.1 %) | 39 events (0.4 %) | 57 % |
| Follow‑up | 3.8 months | 4.3 months | – |
| All‑treated patients (any gaps) | – | – | 29 % |
| Follow‑up | 8.3 months | 8.6 months | – |
- Heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular‑related death, or all‑cause death were significantly lower in the Wegovy arm when continuous treatment was maintained.
- Even when treatment gaps of any length were included, Wegovy still outperformed tirzepatide across all MACE components.
What It Means for Clinicians
- Continuous therapy is critical – patients who maintained uninterrupted dosing experienced the greatest benefit.
- Weight‑loss and cardiovascular protection – Wegovy’s dual action may offer a therapeutic advantage for patients with CVD and obesity who are not yet diabetic.
- Treatment choice – These real‑world data support considering Wegovy over tirzepatide for cardiovascular risk mitigation in this patient cohort.
Next Steps
Novo Nordisk plans to expand STEER’s scope to include longer follow‑up and additional cardiovascular endpoints. The company will also explore the impact of treatment adherence on outcomes in larger, prospective registries.-Fineline Info & Tech