On 10 November at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana, data from the SCORE-HF study (NCT07141914) were presented, evaluating Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide 2.4mg and its effect on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF).
Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), is among the leading treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). It is currently in pre-registration for heart failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), peripheral artery disease (PAD), and peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and is being explored in Phase II for acute ischemic stroke. Administered once weekly via subcutaneous injection, semaglutide offers efficacy and durability advantages across multiple metabolic and cardiovascular indications.
The SCORE-HF study assessed real-world effectiveness of semaglutide 2.4mg in reducing heart failure events and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among US adults aged 45 and above with HF, overweight or obesity, and without T2D. Using data from the Komodo Research Database, cohorts of semaglutide 2.4mg users and matched non-users were analysed with Cox proportional hazard models to estimate hazard ratios (HR).
Kim G. Smolderen, PhD, MSc, professor at the Yale School of Medicine, reported that semaglutide 2.4mg significantly reduced key cardiovascular risks. Primary outcomes of the study were met; semaglutide 2.4mg lowered the risk of 5-point MACE (myocardial infarction, stroke, all-cause mortality, hospitalisation for HF, and coronary revascularisation) by 42% (HR: 0.58; P < 0.001), and 3-point MACE (myocardial infarction, stroke, and all-cause mortality) by 62% (HR: 0.38; P < 0.001). It also achieved a 35% reduction in the 3-point HF outcome (hospitalization for HF, urgent HF visit, and CV-related mortality; HR: 0.65; P < 0.001).
Key opinion leaders interviewed by GlobalData emphasised that while semaglutide’s weight-loss benefits are impactful, cardiovascular outcomes remain a critical measure of patient benefit.
With robust reductions in MACE and HF-related events, semaglutide continues to position itself as a breakthrough therapy for patients with heart failure. According to GlobalData’s Pharma Intelligence Center, there are 24 Phase III candidates, 50 Phase II candidates, and 37 Phase I candidates for HF globally.
