‘Ozempic pill’ leads to faster, longer-lasting weight loss than popular injections, study finds

Research has shown that a daily pill can lead to faster weight loss than Wegovy within three months.

Previous studies of amycretin found that patients lost an average of 13 percent of their body weight over 12 weeks, compared with 6 percent in patients who received the shot.

Experts believe the drug could become a “convenient” alternative to current jabs and could form an important part of the next generation of anti-obesity drugs.

Developed by Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, behind Ozempic, the pill works by mimicking the action of two peptide hormones that regulate hunger and blood sugar levels in a single molecule.

GLP-1 is the same hormone targeted by semaglutide and tirzepatide, the main ingredients in Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.

GLP-1 is the same hormone that is controlled by semaglutide and tirzepatide, the main ingredients in Ozempic and Wegovy and Mounjaro

In the first human trials, patients were given the drug at varying doses, gradually increased over time, or a placebo.

In patients taking a 50 mg dose of amycretin, body weight typically decreased by 10.4 percent within 12 weeks of treatment.

Others who received the maximum daily dose of two 50 mg tablets lost an average of 13.1 percent, according to the findings presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid.

In comparison, those who took the fake drug had an average weight loss decrease of 1.1 percent.

The authors conclude: ‘A single molecule that targets both amylin and GLP-1 biology in a tablet form could provide a more convenient approach to achieving better outcomes for people with overweight or obesity.

‘However, larger and longer-term studies are needed to fully assess the drug’s safety profile and potential.’

Early trials of amycretin showed it helped patients lose an average of 13 percent of their body weight in 12 weeks, compared with 6 percent in patients who received the shot

Importantly, weight loss had not plateaued by the end of the 12-week period, suggesting that further weight loss would occur with continued use.

Further large-scale studies are now underway in the hope that the drug will be available within two years.

According to researchers at Novo’s US research division, the side effects were similar to those of other weight-loss drugs, including nausea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal complaints.

Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, who was not involved in the study, said:

‘This early stage research into a novel oral combination is exciting given the rapidity with which weight loss is observed.

‘However, much larger-scale studies will be needed in the long term to test such drugs, including their effect on disease outcomes.’