Semaglutide Fails To Slow Alzheimer’s Progression In Major Novo Nordisk Trials. Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk says an oral version of semaglutide — the active ingredient in blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy has failed to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in two highly anticipated Phase 3 trials. The studies followed more than 3,800 adults receiving standard Alzheimer’s care and tested whether an older pill form of semaglutide performed better than a placebo. Novo says the drug was safe and did show improvements in certain biomarkers, but crucially, it did not delay clinical progression of the disease. The company had long treated the trials as a low-probability, high-reward gamble, given emerging evidence that GLP-1 drugs may do more than treat diabetes and obesity. Earlier research — from small human trials to animal studies — hinted that GLP-1s could reduce neuro-inflammation or slow cognitive decline. Novo’s chief scientific officer Martin Holst Lange says the company felt a responsibility to investigate semaglutide’s potential because of the “significant unmet need” in Alzheimer’s, thanking the thousands of participants who took part.