In a new study from Novo Nordisk A/S, Søborg, Denmark, researchers found that the obesity drug semaglutide reduces appetite, food cravings and energy intake in people given a meal where they could eat as much as they liked.
Semaglutide, in the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue drug class, is currently available at the dose of 1.0 mg injected once weekly for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and is under development for chronic weight management at the dose 2.4 mg injected once weekly.
It is currently not approved for obesity anywhere in the world, however new drug applications are under review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and other health agencies across the world.
Previous studies have established the efficacy and safety of semaglutide 2.4 mg to treat people living with obesity.
Semaglutide lowers body weight by reducing appetite and hunger, increasing satiety, reducing food cravings, altering food preferences and reducing energy intake.
In the study, the team examined the effect of semaglutide 2.4 mg on gastric emptying, energy intake, appetite and control of eating in subjects with obesity.
72 adults aged 18-65 years with various stages of obesity and without type 2 diabetes received treatment with semaglutide 2.4 mg (dose gradually escalated: 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.7 mg for 4 weeks each; 2.4 mg for 5 weeks) or placebo.
The team found that the energy intake during the lunch test meal at week 20 was 35% lower with semaglutide 2.4 mg vs placebo.
The overall appetite score showed big reduction in appetite with semaglutide 2.4 mg vs placebo.
The appetite components showed significant reductions in ‘hunger’ and ‘prospective food consumption’ and increases for ‘fullness’ and ‘satiety’.
In general, people taking the drug had strongly reduced cravings for savory foods and better control of eating with semaglutide 2.4 mg vs placebo.
The team says control of appetite and reduced frequency and strength of food cravings are important for weight management in people living in obesity, especially in a society that promotes unhealthy lifestyles and overeating.
Semaglutide 2.4 mg can help suppress appetite and reduce the frequency and strength of food cravings.
The study was presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity. One author of the study is Dr. Dorthe Skovgaard.
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