Ozempic is just the beginning of a new era in obesity treatment. A review published this week previews the emergence of similar experimental drugs that may be more effective at helping people lose weight.
Researchers from McGill University conducted a study. This is a review of clinical trial data involving GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy). Researchers once again confirmed the safety and effectiveness of current drugs. But they also highlight the potential superiority of new compounds under development, such as retatrutide, which has helped people lose more than 20% of their original body weight in trials so far.
Semaglutide It is a synthetic, longer-lasting form of the hormone GLP-1. This is a hormone that controls hunger and insulin production. Among other things, developed by Novo Nordisk, semaglutide was first approved for type 2 diabetes in 2017 as Ozempic and then for obesity in 2021 as Wegovy. It is far from a GLP-1 drug. The first to be accessible to the public But semaglutide is a game changer for treating obesity. Studies have shown that it helps people lose between 10% and 15% of their body weight. This is far beyond the average success seen with diet and exercise alone. And it's also superior to the typical results of older GLP-1 drugs.
Semaglutide isn't the only new kid on the block, Eli Lilly. tercepatide It mimics both GLP-1 and another hunger-related hormone called GIP, a powerful combination that makes it possible to knock semaglutide off the throne. In clinical trials, people using tirzepatide lost up to 20% of their baseline weight. There are other ways to treat obesity. Dozens more are in the works. Some of which have been tested in humans. and is likely to eclipse even tirzepatide.
McGill researchers analyzed data from 26 randomized clinical trials of single-agent GLP-1 drugs, double agonists such as tirzepatide, and even antiviral drugs. A triple-agonist, such as retutrutide, combines synthetic versions of three hunger-related hormones: GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon. These trials involved people who were obese but did not have type 1 diabetes. 2
As expected, they found that currently approved drugs are generally safe and effective, with tirzepatide being the most effective to date. (Participants lost up to 17% of their body weight after 72 weeks of treatment.) But they also noted that rettrutide worked even better in a shorter period of time. Participants lost up to 22% of their body weight after just 48 weeks of treatment.
“We found that among the 12 GLP-1 (drugs) identified by our search, The greatest mean body weight reductions were reported in the randomized controlled trials of retatrutide, tirzepatide, and semaglutide,” the researchers wrote in their report. published Tuesday Annals of Internal Medicine–
Retatrutide was developed by Eli Lilly and is currently being tested in a Phase 3 trial that will reach conclusion by 2026, and it won't be the only new drug arriving in the near future that could overcome Currently available medicines
Last year, for example, results from early trials of the drug amycretin (developed by Novo Nordisk) recommend Can reduce weight more than semaglutide and tyresepatide. Other pharmaceutical companies It is working to compete with its own competitors, Ozempic, such as Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma's dual agonist. Dutide servo– Expectations are so high that Novo Nordisk shares Really decreased When it was announced that drug candidate CagriSema (a combination of semaglutide and cagrilintide in an investigation) only helped people lose 22% of their weight in a recent trial, it instead As expected 25%
Of course, these drugs are not without their negative effects. It often causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting. and is linked to rare but serious complications such as Gastritis (gastric paralysis). Another major concern is price. Semaglutide and tirecepatide usually cost about $1,000 per month without insurance. (which are often not provided by public and private insurance companies). Increased costs and demand have driven gray and black market For these drugs People are turning to cheaper but less safe combinations and counterfeit medicines.
Some experts hope that the advent of more GLP-1-related drugs will help eliminate some of these problems. Especially in terms of costs and insurance. Whether it actually happens or not, we'll have to see. But it is almost certain that many drugs will surpass the current crown of semaglutide and tirzepatide as the best obesity treatment.