The new treatment targets gut hormone GLP-1 but also mimics amylin, a hormone released by the pancreas that suppresses hunger.

Novo Nordisk's U.S.-listed shares are surging 9% Friday morning after the Danish drugmaker reported early stage results for its amycretin weight-loss drug.

Novo Nordisk shares were 9.5% higher after the pharmaceutical giant said an experimental weight-loss shot showed patients lost 22% of their bodyweight in a clinical trial.

T he newest weight-loss drugs, Wegovy and Zepbound, are incredibly popular. But doctors are still learning about all of the ways they affect the body—both helpful and harmful—beyond reducing weight. In report published in Nature Medicine,

Novo Nordisk on Friday announced early-stage trial results for its amycretin obesity drug for subcutaneous injection, saying people with obesity or overweight treated with the drug achieved a 22% weight loss after 36 weeks.

The Danish pharmaceutical giant reported positive early-stage results for its once weekly amycretin obesity drug.

Some outcomes, like reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and increased chance of nausea, were expected. But others took researchers by surprise.

Federal officials are targeting the blockbuster drugs as part of their ongoing initiative to lower drug costs.