New Findings Show Oral Weight Loss Drug Benefits Diabetic Heart Patients

A recent international study has revealed that an oral formulation of the diabetes and weight loss drug Semaglutide is beneficial for heart patients with diabetes. This significant finding was presented at the annual conference of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in Chicago and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, is known for its effectiveness in lowering blood sugar levels and providing other health benefits. However, it was previously uncertain whether the oral version of this medication would yield similar positive results compared to its injectable form. The injectable variant, marketed as Wegovy for weight loss and Ozempic for Type 2 diabetes, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year for reducing cardiovascular risk in adults with obesity and overweight conditions.

A research team led by Darren McGuire from the University of Texas in Dallas, with strong participation from German experts from universities in Aachen and Erlangen, investigated the oral version of Semaglutide. Their study involved a double-blind, placebo-controlled method, assigning participants randomly to either the treatment or control groups. The study focused on Type 2 diabetes patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases related to atherosclerosis or chronic kidney disease.

In total, 9,650 patients aged over 50 were included in the study. Of these, 4,825 received Semaglutide pills alongside their standard diabetes treatment, with daily doses of up to 14 milligrams. The remaining 4,825 participants were given a placebo pill. The average observation period lasted approximately 49.5 months.

The results showed that the group taking Semaglutide experienced a lower incidence of serious cardiovascular events. Specifically, 12% of those on the drug suffered from heart attacks, strokes, or died from acute cardiovascular diseases, compared to 13.8% in the placebo group, a statistically significant difference. Importantly, there was no significant increase in severe side effects among those taking Semaglutide.

The authors of the study concluded that for individuals with Type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular issues or chronic kidney disease, the oral administration of Semaglutide was associated with a significantly reduced risk of serious cardiovascular events compared to the placebo, without an increase in severe adverse reactions.

Diabetes is a global health crisis, affecting approximately 830 million adults worldwide, with over 90% of cases being Type 2 diabetes. This form of diabetes carries a heightened risk for cardiovascular diseases. While GLP-1 receptor agonists have been available in injectable forms, developing oral formulations has been challenging due to low absorption rates in the stomach.

Participants in the study were instructed to take the Semaglutide or placebo tablets on an empty stomach with up to 120 milliliters of water and to wait at least 30 minutes before consuming food, drinks, or other oral medications. Furthermore, those taking Semaglutide experienced a decrease in average body weight from about 88 kilograms to 83.6 kilograms, while the placebo group saw a reduction from 88 kilograms to 86.5 kilograms. The mid-term blood sugar control also showed improvements.