Health
Ozempic, Mounjaro and other weight loss and diabetes drugs could treat many more conditions – here’s what scientists are looking at
Topline
Weight loss and diabetes could be just the beginning for drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound, as increasing reports suggest they could have far-reaching benefits in treating conditions as diverse as heart and liver disease, Parkinson’s, sleep apnea and diabetes. addiction, prompting research among companies competing in the latest pharmaceutical gold rush.
GLP-1 drugs are being investigated for a range of other health problems, including addiction and liver … [+]
Key facts
Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound — brand names for the drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide — are by far the most famous members of a booming class of drugs known as GLP-1 agonists, which mimic the function of a gut hormone that is involved in regulating blood sugar levels and appetite, glucagon-like peptide-1.
GLP-1 drugs were initially approved for treatment diabetes and, more recently, obesityand as more and more people use the drugs, signs of other potential benefits are starting to appear and Novo has collected enough data to prove this and approval scored from the Food and Drug Administration in March to add cardiovascular benefits after Wegovy’s label (experts expect Zepbound will be shown to have similar heart benefits), with research showing that semaglutide can reduce the risk of heart problems such as heart attack and stroke by 20%, regardless of weight loss.
Lilly is too looking a label extension for Zepbound after a late-stage study found the drug ‘meaningfully improved’ sleep apnea symptoms,” and if approved, the drug would become the first pharmaceutical treatment for the underlying causes of the condition, rather than treating the symptoms.
Studies also indicate that the GLP-1 class could also lower the risk of developing a range of different drugs cancers and possibly help with a range of brains disorders also help where possible boost moodcognitive function and relieving symptoms for conditions included Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, depression, bipolar disorder And tensionareas that have long been notorious bottlenecks for pharmaceutical development.
Substance use disorders And addiction is another promising avenue after reports of reduced cravings among people taking GLP-1 drugs, although scientists are still to work to find out why – the drug could potentially be acting on areas of the skin brain and nervous system because these also produce the GLP-1 hormone or have relevant hormone receptors for it – and confirm whether the drugs can indeed curb addiction.
Are Weight Loss Injections Linked to New Side Effects?
Although the clinical trials required to bring a drug to market are extensive and rigorous and ensure that products are safe and effective, they rarely provide a complete picture of a drug. The sheer number of people who take a drug after approval, especially popular drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide, can shrink the number of people involved in a trial, and companies and regulators alike are keeping an eye on how they fare in the real world. While it is exciting when reports and data collected from more and more people using drugs point to new potential benefits and applications, especially in areas such as mental health and liver disease that have long evaded the efforts of pharmaceutical researchers, there is also the possibility that new information about negative effects will also emerge. With weight loss and diabetes drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, mental health problems and an increase in suicidal ideation have been the subject of much research, although recently published reviews from agencies such as the FDA and European Medicines Agency have cast doubt on the link and said that such a connection is unlikely. Other research has found that GLP-1 drugs can reduce bone density and suggested that Ozempic and Wegovy could increase the risk of developing a rare form of blindness, although Novo has criticized the study as not having enough data to make a conclusion. to establish a connection. Drug regulators have also begun changing drug label guidelines as more becomes known, including new warnings for patients undergoing surgery or anesthesia, as the drugs increase the risk of aspiration (breathing in something other than air) can increase when material rises from the air. the stomach during the operation. There is also an ongoing debate about whether GLP-1s may increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer, especially thyroid cancer, although the matter is far from settled.
Large number
$100 billion. That’s how much the weight loss drug market could be worth in 2030. analysts estimatealthough some believe the market could be may be worth a lot, much more than that. Novo and Lilly have already raked in billions from their obesity and diabetes drugs, and these drugs have helped them become some of the most valuable companies in the world, despite their inability to meet demand and persistent shortages.
Crucial quote
Novo and Lilly currently have an effective duopoly in the GLP-1 market, especially when it comes to obesity. Experts such as Citi analyst Peter Verdult told Forbes that the wealth of data the pair can collect on semaglutide and tirzepatide will help them solidify their dominant positions and edge out competitors still racing to bring drugs to market. Adding things like cardiovascular benefits to Wegovy’s label will raise the bar for new entrants to compete, especially since there is a clear limit to the benefits provided by improving the amount of weight loss, for example, as research shows Zepbound has done with Wegovy. . “Some might say, that’s fine, I’ll just go with it, because it’s the same molecules, the same mechanism of action and everyone takes it for granted. But the bottom line is, if you’re a drug representative, you can’t promote that,” Verdult said.
What to pay attention to
Novo Nordisk is conducting two late-stage clinical trials, To call to action And Call Plus, to assess whether semaglutide could have a positive impact on early Alzheimer’s disease. The trials, which will involve more than 1,800 patients taking the drug or a placebo over the course of three years, are expected to be completed by mid-2026 and the company is expected to read results sometime that year.
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Read further
Here’s why rivals Ozempic and Mounjaro won’t topple drugmakers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly anytime soon (Forbes)
