This class also includes Ozempic, which is made by Novo Nordisk and approved as a blood-sugar control aid in type 2 diabetes, as well as a treatment for people with type 2 and either heart disease or kidney disease. It also includes Wegovy, which has the same active ingredient as Ozempic but is approved for chronic weight management. An experimental pill made by Eli Lilly led to average weight loss of more than 12 percent of body weight in individuals with obesity, according to initial trial results announced by the drugmaker on Thursday.
- While initially developed for diabetes management, GLP-1 receptor agonists have shown remarkable potential in treating obesity.
- The drugmaker Lilly announced topline results of a clinical trial of a new pill in the same drug class as injectables like Ozempic.
- Researchers found that patients who got the highest dose of the drug lost on average 15.6% of their body weight after 48 weeks, compared to the 2.2% body weight loss seen in patients who got a placebo.
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Study findings revealed that participants taking GLP-1 RAs showed a significantly delayed rise in both breath alcohol concentration and feelings of intoxication compared to a control group. These observations are consistent with a peripheral mechanism, possibly involving delayed gastric emptying, that may blunt alcohol’s immediate effects. Their drug orforglipron appeals to patients who can’t or don’t want to use injected medications.
It is also expected to be cheaper, since it’s easier to produce (orforglipron isn’t a peptide like other GLP-1 drugs). The detailed results will be presented next month at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting 2025, before being published in a peer-reviewed journal for closer scrutiny. So too will the results of the Phase III clinical trial assessing orforglipron in treating type 2 diabetes. Now, the US drug maker is set to apply for global approval of orforglipron by the end of 2025, meaning it’s likely to be the first oral weight-loss drug in this class and likely to be on offer in the new year. The company is calling the medication the “Wegovy pill” for weight management and has submitted it for approval to the U.S.
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Skipping a day or not following directions for how to take the medication has consequences. It comes as rival Eli Lilly is hoping to get its own GLP-1 drug in pill form approved as well. A month’s supply of Wegovy or Zepbound can cost more than $1,000, often financially untenable for many patients, experts say. One of the drugs featured at the conference on Sunday is called pemvidutide, from Maryland-based biotech firm Altimmune.
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- Some are trying to package these sought-after ingredients into pill form, or injectables that last longer.
- In one of the new clinical trials, Wharton and other researchers tested a higher-dose version of the drug, 25 milligrams rather than 14 milligrams, which is the highest dose Rybelsus comes in.
- With plenty of clinical research and real-world success stories, these medications are bringing hope to millions who are struggling with obesity.
- It’s also a big win for Lilly, which has pulled ahead of rival Novo Nordisk in getting the first small molecule oral GLP-1 drug to market.
Eli Lilly, which makes Zepbound and the diabetes version Mounjaro, has two more GLP-1 drugs in development. These are not direct comparisons because the drugs weren’t compared in a head-to-head clinical trial. Researchers are also exploring the benefits of combining GLP-1 receptor agonists with other therapeutic agents. Combination therapies may enhance treatment efficacy, new ozempic experimental glp-1 drug target multiple metabolic pathways, and offer personalized treatment options for patients with complex metabolic disorders.
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Harris said that people who got pemvidutide lost on average 21% of their lean body mass, which is lower than the around 25% of lean body mass people typically lose with diet and exercise. The most common side effects were mild to moderate and were similar to those seen with other GLP-1s. For example, diarrhea, nausea, indigestion, constipation and vomiting were more common in the treatment groups than the placebo. Between 3% and 8% of the participants in each treatment group opted to stop taking the medication, compared to 1% of the placebo. After 40 weeks, the groups who took orforglipron saw their A1C drop by 1.3% to 1.6%, on average, while the placebo fell only 0.1%.
GLP-1 medications work, in part, by slowing down how quickly food passes through the stomach, leading people to feel fuller longer. In several of the upcoming weight loss drugs, a different hormone called glucagon is in the spotlight. Glucagon is a key blood-sugar-regulating hormone that can mimic the effects of exercise. Lilly said it would seek approval from the Food and Drug Administration later this year to market orforglipron for obesity and early in 2026 for diabetes, The New York Times reported.
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However, the story of GLP-1 drugs began with earlier formulations that paved the way for these innovative treatments. This article explores the origins of GLP-1 drugs, their mechanism of action, and the promising future they hold in treating metabolic disorders. In August, the company announced people who had obesity or were overweight without diabetes lost 12% of their body weight on average with the orforglipron pill after 72 weeks in a late-stage trial. While initially developed for diabetes management, GLP-1 receptor agonists have shown remarkable potential in treating obesity.
She holds a graduate certificate in science communication from UC Santa Cruz and degrees in neuroscience and dance from the University of Florida. Her work has appeared in The Scientist, Science News, the Mercury News, Mongabay and Stanford Medicine Magazine, among other outlets. Based in NYC, she also remains heavily involved in dance and performs in local choreographers’ work. Blood glucose was measured before and after alcohol consumption, but no significant group differences were observed. Novo’s chief financial officer said in an earnings call that it would source cagrilintide from a third-party company, which could help with manufacturing.
After 40 weeks, the trial runners checked everyone’s blood sugar levels using an A1C test, which can reveal average blood-sugar levels from the preceding three months. The test gives results as a percentage, with 6.5% or higher typically indicating diabetes and 5.7% to 6.4% signaling prediabetes. Following exenatide, researchers focused on developing longer-acting GLP-1 receptor agonists to improve patient convenience and adherence. These early formulations laid the groundwork for the development of even more effective and convenient drugs like semaglutide (Ozempic), which can be administered once weekly.
The pill is meant to be taken daily and would be an alternative to the company’s popular anti-obesity drug Zepbound, a once-weekly injectable drug. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first GLP-1 drug for type 2 diabetes in 2005 and another, the first for weight loss, in 2014. The medications mimic one or more gut hormones and work to curb cravings and slow digestion, helping control blood sugar levels and appetite. And a growing set of studies suggests they have a constellation of other health benefits, too. The field of diabetes and obesity treatment has witnessed significant advancements with the introduction of GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of drugs that have revolutionized management strategies. Semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic, is one of the most well-known GLP-1 receptor agonists today.
They bind to GLP-1 receptors on pancreatic beta cells, stimulating insulin secretion in response to elevated blood glucose levels. Additionally, these drugs inhibit glucagon release, slow gastric emptying, and promote satiety, which helps in reducing caloric intake and body weight. Looking ahead, the proven success of these weight loss drugs is paving the way for treatments that are tailored just for you.