(Bloomberg) -- The European Union’s drug regulator found no added risk of suicide or self-harm for people taking a popular new class of weight-loss and diabetes medicines that includes Novo Nordisk A/S’s Wegovy and Ozempic.

The evidence doesn’t support a causal link between the drugs and suicidal and self-harm thoughts and actions, a European Medicines Agency risk assessment committee said Friday. The regulator analyzed health records of people who had taken the drugs. Drugmakers will keep monitoring closely, the EMA said. 

The EMA started investigating the issue in July after reports of suicidal thoughts from people who had been taking the medicines, which slow the movement of food through the gut but are also thought to have a broader impact that includes the brain neurotransmitter dopamine. 

The review focused on glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, drugs, which are among the pharma industry’s hottest sellers. 

Novo Nordisk shares rose 1.7% in Copenhagen.

The review did not include Eli Lilly & Co.’s Mounjaro and Zepbound, two versions of the same drug sold for diabetes and weight loss, which works differently. 

GLP-1 drugs have been prescribed for diabetes for more than 15 years although their use for weight loss is more recent. The EMA investigation also included the active ingredients in older treatments like Lilly’s Trulicity and AstraZeneca Plc’s Byetta. 

Read more: EU Widens Probe of Suicide Risks Linked to Weight-Loss Drugs 

 

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