Novo Nordisk’s new weight loss pill, amycretin, has had promising results in an early clinical trial.
- Amycretin, a new weight loss drug developed
by Novo Nordisk, has shown promising early results and is potentially more
effective than the company’s established treatments, Ozempic and Wegovy.
- In a phase 1 trial, the drug was found
to significantly reduce body weight by 13% over 3 months — a noteworthy
improvement compared to the 6% reduction seen with earlier drugs.
- Despite the need for further research to fully understand amycretin’s long-term safety and effectiveness, these findings sparked an increase in Novo Nordisk’s stock prices as well as a heightened interest in GLP-1 agonist medications.
Early findings from a phase 1 clinical trial announced by the
Danish company Novo Nordisk, show that amycretin — an experimental drug they
have developed to treat obesity — may be significantly more effective
than Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide) at improving
weight loss.
The company has not yet published the data in a
peer-reviewed journal, nor has it specified when it might do so.
This may not come as a surprise, seeing that both
Ozempic and Wegovy are primarily prescribed for adults with type 2 diabetes to help them control blood sugar
levels.
Of the two, only Wegovy has gained Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approval for
chronic weight management in adults, though
all semaglutide drugs appear to be associated with weight loss.
Both medications belong to the class of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists,
and work by mimicking the action of a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar
levels and appetite.
Early
results suggest that amycretin led to a 13% reduction in body weight over a
3-month period.
Previous research demonstrated
that semaglutide led to an approximate 6% reduction in body weight over a
similar timeframe.
Pill form may make
amycretin more desirable
Experts, however, have stressed the need for more
comprehensive research to verify the long-term benefits and safety profile of
amycretin.
Despite these cautions, Novo Nordisk’s stock
value surged by over 8% following
the drug’s presentation at an investor meeting on March 7, 2024.
The surging interest in a new class of medications
known as GLP-1 agonists has propelled Novo Nordisk to become the most valuable
company in Europe, despite facing significant supply shortages due to high
demand.
Amycretin
differentiates itself from semaglutide medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, and
from Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound (tirazepide)
by being administered orally as a pill rather than through a weekly injection.
How does amycretin lead
to weight loss?
Like its
counterparts, amycretin works by emulating the GLP-1 hormone that suppresses
appetite. In addition, it also imitates another hormone, amylin.
The limited information available suggests this method
could be quite promising, but it is important to note that much more data are
required.
This is because amycretin has yet to be evaluated
against other medications in a direct comparison trial.
At a recent investor event, a senior development
executive from Novo Nordisk highlighted the potential for amycretin to match
the effectiveness and safety profile of CagriSema, another GLP-1 agonist drug
by the company, targeting amylin.
The company anticipates the results of a study on an
injectable version of amycretin to be released next year.
Based on these findings, Novo Nordisk intends to
initiate a comprehensive development program.
Weight reduction notable in participants who
received amycretin
During a
trial of amycretin that involved 16 participants with an average weight of 89
kilograms, those who received a placebo experienced a 1% decrease in body
weight over a 12-week period.
Studies indicate that GLP-1 agonist medications
can reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases linked
to obesity, yet they also increase the chance of experiencing gastrointestinal
issues.
Importantly for patients to understand, research shows
that once individuals discontinue these drugs, they tend to regain much of the
weight they had previously lost.
What do experts think
of amycretin?
Three experts, not involved in this research, spoke
to Medical News Today about the findings announced by Novo
Nordisk.
Dr Simon C. Cork,
senior lecturer in the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Social Care at Anglia
Ruskin University in the United Kingdom, said that “the results from this study
are exciting as they demonstrate what appears to be another effective drug in
the rapidly growing weight loss field.”
“However we must await peer-reviewed published
clinical trials before we can say for certain how this drug compares with
others,” he cautioned.
“What is particularly notable with this drug is that
it is taken orally, rather than via injection — as [with] Ozempic and Wegovy —
which will undoubtedly be more appealing to patients,” Dr. Cork noted.
“Any drugs which demonstrate effective weight loss are
welcomed in what has historically been a very difficult disease to manage. The
addition of more drugs on the market will also relieve shortages of GLP-1
agonists, which are relied on by millions of people for the treatment of their
type 2 diabetes.”
– Dr Simon C. Cork
Dr. Mir Ali, M.D., bariatric surgeon and
medical director of Memorial Care Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast
Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, agreed.
“This is exciting news that another medication that
appears more effective than the ones currently available is in development,”
Dr. Ali said.
However, “a phase 1 trial is the initial trial to show
clinical effectiveness and safety in human subjects,” he explained. “Typically,
additional research is then conducted to look more closely at long term side
effects and effectiveness.”
Speaking
of the mechanisms involved, Dr. Ali noted that: “The mechanisms are similar in
that GLP-1 and amycretin both target specific receptors; GLP-1 agonists at this
time are only available in an injectable form. Having a pill available that is
just as effective (or more effective) would certainly make using these
medications easier for the patient.”
Dr. Jared Ross, a
professor and medical director at the Henry Ford College Paramedic Program and
the medical director for Trauma Services at Bothwell Regional Health Center in
Missouri also explained that:
“Amycretin is an analog to amylin, a hormone secreted
by the pancreas that is involved in appetite, weight, and blood sugar levels.
This has large-scale implications as it represents the first oral hormonal
medication for obesity, unlike GLP-1 analogs like semaglutide and tirzepatide
which are both injections […]”
“Amylin analogs stimulate both the GLP-1 receptors in
the gut and the amylin receptors in the pancreas,” Dr. Ross added.
“Another amylin analog, an injected medication
called cagrilintide, in
combination with semaglutide (a GLP-1 analog) has been shown in two small
studies to have greater weight loss and better blood sugar control than with
semaglutide alone,” he further noted.
However, Dr. Ross highlighted that “the long-term
benefits of these medications have yet to be determined as have the adverse
effects.”
“One of the major concerns with these hormone
medications is that the effects appear to reverse once the medication is
stopped, making life-long use necessary,” he emphasized.
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