A drug used to treat people with type 2 diabetes is also effective in helping obese people lose weight, a reference study found.
The drug semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Rybelsus, was administered to adults with an average BMI of 38.
The 2.4 mg dose was given by the participants themselves once a week through a subcutaneous jab, just like 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 semaglutide lost more than 10% of their body weight.
Researchers say the findings will change the game, because weight loss can be achieved in people who would otherwise require surgery.
Among those taking semaglutide, 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 calculations) with a BMI reduction of minus 0.92, more than five times less than those using the drug.
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The drug semaglutide, sold under the brand name Ozempicand Rybelsus, was given to adults with an average BMI of 38. More than a third (35%) of those taking the drug lost more than a fifth of their total body weight.
The results are appreciated 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 normally prescribed to diabetics at a dose of 1 mg.
The latest semaglutidic study is currently in the third phase, with an increased dose of 2.4 mg.
With evidence from this study, semaglutide was subject to regulatory approval as a treatment for obesity by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The drug works by hijacking your own appetite-regulating system in the brain, which reduces hunger and calorie intake.
Nearly 2,000 people were recruited 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 findings of this study are a major breakthrough in improving the health of people with obesity.
Three-quarters (75 percent) of people receiving semaglutide 2.4 mg lost more than 10 percent of their body weight and more than a third lost more than 20 percent.
“No other drug has been able to produce this level of weight loss – this is really a game changer.
“For the first time, people can achieve through medication what was possible only through weight loss surgery.”
Professor Batterham added that the drug could have major implications for UK health policy for years to come.
The average participant in the study lost 15.3 kg (almost three stones), according to the study published in the New England Journal for Medicine.
This has been 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 investigator of the trial, Professor John Wilding of the University of Liverpool, said: “This is significant progress in the treatment of obesity.
Semaglutide is already approved and used clinically at a lower dose for the treatment of diabetes, so doctors are already familiar with its use.
Among those taking semaglutide, the average weight loss was 15.3 kg, with a BMI reduction of minus 5.54. The placebo group observed a mean weight loss of 2.6 kg (0.4 stones) with a reduction in BMI of minus 0.92, more than five times less than those using the drug.
Study participants received either the drug or a placebo and also had access to individual face-to-face or telephone counseling sessions from registered dietitians every four weeks, and received guidance to help. with behavioral strategies and motivation.
In addition, participants received incentives such as kettle bells or food scales to mark progress and milestones.
Some participants reported side effects of the drug, including mild to moderate nausea and diarrhea, which were transient and generally resolved without permanent discontinuation of the study.
Dr Baptiste Leurent of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who was not involved in the study, says this will require close monitoring.
We also need to better understand what happens once treatment is stopped and if it could 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, because currently the only one that has been shown to be safe and effective is orlistat. .
This will be good news for doctors and patients. However, it is worth noting that individuals did not simply inject this drug and lost weight, but they also had to change their behavior.