Eli Lilly (LLY.US) and Novo Nordisk A/S Sponsored ADR Class B (NVO.US) have good news! Research shows that GLP-1 drugs can reduce the risk of cancer.

According to a study published this week in the "Journal of the American Medical Association - Oncology," GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Eli Lilly's weight loss and diabetes therapy Mounjaro and Novo Nordisk A/S Sponsored ADR Class B's Ozempic, can reduce the risk of cancer. After studying the electronic health records of over 80,000 obese patients with no history of cancer, researchers found that patients using GLP-1 medications had a significantly lower overall cancer risk compared to those not using the medication. The study was based on EHR data from the OneFlorida+ health research network, covering 43,315 users not using GLP-1 medications and 43,317 users using GLP-1 medications between 2014 and 2024. These GLP-1 medications include Novo Nordisk A/S Sponsored ADR Class B's Ozempic and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro. The study results showed that the incidence rate of 14 types of cancer (including 13 types related to obesity, such as endometrial cancer) in patients using GLP-1 medications was 13.6 per thousand people per year, compared to 16.4 per thousand people for non-users. However, the study also indicated a slight but not significant increase in the risk of kidney cancer associated with GLP-1 medications. Given the retrospective nature of the study and the fact that GLP-1 medications are not indicated for the treatment of cancer, researchers call for long-term follow-up to assess the clinical significance and reasons behind their study results.