A drug used to treat people with type 2 diabetes is also effective in helping obese people lose weight, according to a prominent study.
The semi-swallowed drug, sold under the Ozempicand Rybelsus brands, was administered to adults with a mean BMI of 38.
The 2.4 mg dose was administered by the same participants once a week by subcutaneous puncture, similar to an insulin injection.
More than a third (35%) of people who took the drug lost more than a fifth of their total body weight.
Three-quarters (75%) of people who received semaglutida lost more than 10% of their body weight.
Researchers say the findings change the game because weight loss can be achieved in people who would otherwise need surgery.
Of those taking semaglutida, the average weight loss was 15.3 kg, with a BMI reduction of minus 5.54.
The placebo group observed an average weight loss of 2.6 kg (0.4 stones) with a BMI reduction of minus 0.92, more than five times less than those using the drug.
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The semi-swallowed drug, sold under the Ozempicand Rybelsus brands, was administered to adults with an average BMI of 38. More than a third (35%) of people who took the drug lost more than a fifth of their total body weight.
The results are being hailed for their potential to improve the health of obese people.
They could play an important role in helping the UK reduce the impact of diseases, such as Covid-19, experts suggest.
Semaglutide is already approved for use in humans, but is usually prescribed to diabetics at a dose of 1 mg.
The latest semaglutide study is currently in phase three trials with an increased dose of 2.4 mg.
With evidence from this trial, semaglutide has been submitted for regulatory approval as a treatment for obesity at the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), the European Medicines Agency (EMA). ) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The drug works by sequestering the body’s own appetite-regulating system in the brain, which causes a reduction in hunger and calorie intake.
Nearly 2,000 people were hired for the study from 16 countries that spanned more than a year and began in the fall of 2018.
Rachel Batterham, professor of obesity, diabetes and endocrinology at UCL, who is leading the research, said: “The results of this study represent a major step forward in improving the health of people with obesity.
“Three-quarters (75 percent) of people who received 2.4 mg of semaglutide lost more than 10 percent of their body weight and more than a third lost more than 20 percent.
“No other drug has come close to producing this level of weight loss, it really is a game changer.
“For the first time, people can achieve through medication what was only possible through weight loss surgery.”
Professor Batterham added that the drug could have important implications for UK health policy over the coming years.
According to the study published in the New England Journal for Medicine, the average participant in the trial lost 15.3 kg (almost three stones).
This was accompanied by reductions in waist circumference, blood fats, blood sugar and blood pressure that increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
The UK’s chief trial investigator, Professor John Wilding of the University of Liverpool, said: “This is a significant breakthrough in the treatment of obesity.
“Semaglutide is already approved and used clinically at lower doses for the treatment of diabetes, so doctors are already familiar with its use.”

Of those taking semaglutida, the average weight loss was 15.3 kg, with a BMI reduction of minus 5.54. The placebo group observed an average weight loss of 2.6 kg (0.4 stones) with a BMI reduction of minus 0.92, more than five times less than those using the drug.
People who participated in the study received the drug or a placebo and also had access to individual face-to-face or telephone counseling sessions from registered dietitians every four weeks, in addition to obtaining guidance to help with strategies and behavioral motivation. .
In addition, participants received incentives such as teapot bells or food scales to mark progress and milestones.
Some participants reported side effects of the drug, including mild to moderate nausea and diarrhea, that were transient and generally resolved without permanent interruption of the study.
Dr Baptiste Leurent of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who did not take part in the study, says close monitoring will be needed.
“We also need to better understand what is going on once treatment has stopped and whether it can be taken for a shorter period of time,” he adds.
Dr. Amelia Hollywood, a health psychologist at the University of Reading, adds: “It is promising to hear that there is another potential weight loss drug that can be offered to patients, as currently the only thing that has proven to be safe and effective is orlistat.
‘This will be good news for doctors and patients. However, it is worth noting that people not only injected this drug and lost weight, but also had to change their behavior. “