A new study has revealed that the drug semaglutide can lead to significant weight loss, with 75% of participants losing more than 10% of their body weight. The research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that 35% of participants lost over 20% of their body weight, with an average loss of 15kg (about 2.5 stone).
Professor Rachel Batterham, who leads obesity research at University College London, described the findings as a 'game changer'. 'No other drug has come close to producing this level of weight loss,' she said. 'This really is a major breakthrough for improving the health of people with obesity.'
The international trial involved 1,960 overweight or obese adults, with an average weight of 105kg (16.5 stone), across 129 sites in 16 countries. Participants received either a weekly 2.4mg dose of semaglutide or a placebo for 68 weeks, alongside dietary and exercise guidance.
Those on semaglutide lost an average of 15.3kg, compared to just 2.6kg in the placebo group. The drug also reduced waist circumference, blood fats, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Semaglutide works by mimicking a hormone that increases feelings of fullness, helping people eat less.
Side effects included nausea and diarrhoea, but these generally resolved without participants dropping out. The drug is already used to treat diabetes at lower doses. It has now been submitted for regulatory approval as an obesity treatment to NICE, the EMA, and the FDA.
