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The GLP-1 news worth knowing from the past week — ranked by what actually matters, so you can catch up in a minute.

1. 1
   Regulatory

   Novo Nordisk Wins First GLP-1 Approval for MASH in China as Wegovy Label Expands to Liver Disease

   Novo Nordisk said China's National Medical Products Administration approved Wegovy (semaglutide) to treat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in non-cirrhotic adults with moderate-to-severe liver fibrosis, making it the first GLP-1 receptor agonist cleared for MASH in China. The company disclosed no launch timing, pricing or reimbursement details, and shares traded roughly flat on the news.

   Fierce PharmaRead the original at Fierce Pharma (opens in a new tab)
2. 2
   Research

   Semaglutide Linked to Up to 40% Fewer Asthma Attacks and 20% Fewer COPD Flare-Ups in UK Real-World Study

   Imperial College London researchers presented four parallel analyses of UK electronic health records at the ERS Congress in Barcelona, each comparing roughly 20,000-22,000 new GLP-1 users against sulfonylurea starters. Semaglutide was associated with fewer airway exacerbations overall (weighted HR 0.76), with a stronger signal at higher doses and in asthma than in COPD, while liraglutide, dulaglutide, and exenatide showed no significant association. This is observational data, not a randomized trial, but it adds to the case that semaglutide's benefits reach beyond weight and glucose control.

   HCPLiveRead the original at HCPLive (opens in a new tab)
3. 3
   Clinical

   Novo Nordisk's STEP Young Trial: 40% of Children Ages 6-11 With Obesity Shed the Diagnosis on Semaglutide

   Novo Nordisk's Phase 3 STEP Young trial found that 40.4% of children ages 6 to under 12 with obesity who took once-weekly semaglutide alongside diet and exercise changes had their BMI fall below the obesity threshold after 68 weeks, versus none of the children on placebo. More than 85% of the 165 children enrolled had class II or III severe obesity at baseline, and Novo Nordisk reported no new safety concerns, including none related to growth or pubertal development. Full results will be presented at ObesityWeek 2026 in November and are likely to inform any future FDA application in this age group.

   Novo Nordisk (GlobeNewswire)Read the original at Novo Nordisk (GlobeNewswire) (opens in a new tab)
4. 4
   Provider

   Quel Health Launches as First National Telehealth Company Built Around GLP-1s for Addiction, Live in 41 States

   Quel Health announced on September 8 that it is launching as the first national telemedicine company built specifically around prescribing GLP-1 drugs for addiction, extending a program first run at Caron Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania; it is live in 41 states plus D.C. with nationwide coverage planned by year-end. The FDA has not approved any GLP-1 for substance use, so every prescription is off-label, and the company says it will target food, alcohol, opioid and other addictions under one umbrella. It is the clearest sign yet that GLP-1 telehealth is moving beyond weight loss, but the evidence base is still mostly observational and small trials, and off-label demand could add pressure on supply and on insurers who already balk at covering these drugs.

   STAT NewsRead the original at STAT News (opens in a new tab)
5. 5
   Market

   GLP-1 Prescriptions for Children Ages 8-11 With Obesity Are 310 Times Higher Than in 2019, NYU Langone Study Finds

   A Pediatrics study of more than 3.5 million US children found that GLP-1 prescribing among 8-to-11-year-olds with obesity was 310 times higher in June 2026 than in 2019, though still only 0.6% of that group had ever been prescribed one, versus 0.9% of adolescents. Nearly 94% of young recipients had severe obesity, and children in upper-income communities were 55% more likely to be prescribed, an early sign of an access divide. No GLP-1 is FDA-approved for children under 12, so this is off-label prescribing running ahead of formal approval and long-term safety data.

   NYU Langone Health (PR Newswire)Read the original at NYU Langone Health (PR Newswire) (opens in a new tab)