Sensation in weight loss
According to a major international study involving almost 2,000 people from 16 countries, 35% of volunteers who took a new drug to treat obesity lost more than one fifth of their body weight. The results of the study are published in the New England Journal for Medicine.
The new drug semaglutide acts by capturing its own appetite regulation system in the brain, which leads to a decrease in hunger and a decrease in calorie intake. 75% of people who received semaglutide at a dosage of 2.4 mg lost more than 10% of their weight, and 35% of people lost more than 20% of their weight. For the first time, with the help of drugs, people were able to achieve what was possible only with the help of weight loss surgery.
The impact of obesity on health has become especially noticeable due to COVID-19, it increases the risk of death from the virus, as well as the occurrence of many serious diseases that worsen the quality of life, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, liver disease and some cancers.
The average participant in the trial lost 15.3 kg; this was accompanied by a decrease in risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, such as waist circumference, blood lipids and sugar content and blood pressure, and there was an improvement in the overall quality of life.
This is a significant advance in the treatment of obesity. Semaglutide is approved and clinically used in lower doses for the treatment of diabetes, so doctors are already familiar with it. Based on the data from this study, semaglutide was submitted for regulatory approval as a treatment for obesity.
The randomized controlled phase III "STEP" study involved 1961 overweight or obese adults (average weight 105 kg, body mass index 38 kg/m2); it was conducted in 129 centers in 16 countries in Asia, Europe, North America and South America.
Participants received 2.4 mg of semaglutide (or placebo) weekly by subcutaneous injection.
94.3% of participants completed the 68-week study, which began in the fall of 2018.
Participants also received individual consultations from registered dietitians every four weeks, who helped them adhere to a low-calorie diet and adequate physical activity, providing recommendations, behavioral strategies and motivation.
In those who received semaglutide, the average weight loss was 15.3 kg, and the BMI decreased by 5.54. In the placebo group, the average weight loss was 2.6 kg with a decrease in BMI by 0.92.
Volunteers who took semaglutide also demonstrated a reduction in risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes and reported an improvement in overall quality of life.
Semaglutide is approved for use in patients with type 2 diabetes, although it is prescribed at a lower dose (1 mg).
The drug contains a compound structurally similar to the hormone human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is released into the blood from the intestine after eating.
GLP-1 promotes weight loss by reducing hunger, increasing the feeling of satiety and thereby helping people to eat less.
During phases I and II of the STEP study, the safety of a dose of 2.4 mg was evaluated, in phase III, some participants reported side effects of the drug, including nausea and mild to moderate diarrhea, they were temporary and usually passed without final termination of participation in the study.
Article by J.P.H.Wilding et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity is published in the New England Journal for Medicine.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to UCL materials: "Game changer" drug for treating obesity cuts body weight by 20%.