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A conference abstract presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes looks at a study of a once-a-day weight loss tablet (Amycretin).
Dr Nerys Astbury, Associate Professor – Diet & Obesity, Nuffield Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, University of Oxford, said:
“This abstract presented at EASD reports the findings of a phase 1 study; first in human administration of a new drug which combines GLP-1 and amylin receptors agonists in different doses for oral administration at different doses.
“It is important to note that whilst the participants in this trial did lose weight over the 12-week study, and this was statistically more weight than in the placebo group, this study was not designed or powered to detect differences in body weight over longer periods of time. Although these findings indicate that this new drug does hold promise as a treatment of overweight an obesity, the drug was associated with some side effects which were largely mild or moderate and related to gastrointestinal discomfort.
“The comparable effects of this drug and associated health outcomes compared with the injectable drugs – which already have market approval – is not known, and requires further investigation.
“With so many already living with obesity, there will be considerable work to treat and care for this group of individuals in the NHS. Having a greater range of safe and effective prescription medications opens up the pharmaceutical treatment options for people living with obesity. It is possible that some people might find the oral (pill) medications more acceptable than the injectable GLP-1 agonists are currently available. These injectable (GLP-1 agonist) medications are currently expensive, which raises challenges to a taxpayer funded health system like the NHS. But increasing the number of pharmacotherapy options available in the market will introduce competition and likely bring down the costs of these classes of medications in the longer-term.
“Furthermore, if the growing number of oral obesity medications prove safe, tolerable and effective like the injectables that have current market authorisation, they are likely to significantly reduce the risks of developing many complications of obesity, including (but not limited to) type 2 diabetes, heart attacks and liver and kidney diseases and several types of cancer, which detrimentally effect people’s quality of life as well as contributing to substantial NHS expenditure.
“I would add the caveat – this is only an abstract, details on the trial methodology and statistical methods used to obtain results are not detailed. Furthermore the findings have not undergone peer review process.”
Prof Naveed Sattar, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine/Honorary Consultant, University of Glasgow, said:
“The more medicines coming forward to treat obesity, the better as this gives more chance to find safe and efficacious medicines, especially tablets that could be more easily available (and cheaper) for the many millions around the world struggling with obesity and its complications. This early phase research on a new oral combination is exciting given the speed of weight loss seen. However, far larger scale trials will be needed to test such medicines in due course, including its effect on disease outcomes.”
Abstract title: ‘Safety, tolerability and weight reduction findings of oral amycretin: a novel amylin and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor co-agonist, in a first-in-human study’ by A. Gasiorek et al was presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and was under embargo until 23:01 UK time on Tuesday 10 September 2024.
There is no paper.
Declared interests
Dr Nerys Astbury: “No conflicts.”
Prof Naveed Sattar: “Naveed Sattar has consulted for several companies that make diabetes medicines but also contributed to several lifestyle trials.
For Novo Nordisk: have consulted for company in advisory boards but not on any of their weight loss drug trial committees; am on steering committee for ZEUS trial but this is not a weight loss trial product but anti-inflammatory. Do not have any shares either for any product in health etc.
N.S. declares consulting fees and/or speaker honoraria from Abbott Laboratories, Afimmune, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, and Sanofi; and grant support paid to his university from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and Roche Diagnostics.”