Novo Nordisk’s daily weight-loss drug helped people lose up to 13 percent of their body weight after three months in a phase 1 clinical trial, according to findings presented Tuesday at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes’ annual meeting in Spain.
The rate of weight loss from an experimental pill called Amicretin appears to be faster than that seen with other drugs.
“That’s roughly double the weight loss rate seen with current GLP-1 agonists and is approaching procedural or surgical levels of success,” said Dr. Christopher McGowan, a gastroenterologist who runs a weight-loss clinic in North Carolina. “This shows promise.”
Dr. Susan Spratt, an endocrinologist and senior medical director of Duke Health’s Office of Population Health Management, said the results are striking.
“How did he lose the weight so quickly?” Spratt asked. “It’s like a miracle drug.”
The findings are still early and further research is needed, especially over longer periods. The drug has not been tested in head-to-head trials and therefore cannot be directly compared to existing weight-loss drugs. The results have not been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Martin Lange, executive vice president and head of development at Novo Nordisk, said in a statement that amicretin works in a similar way to the Wegovy and Ozempic drugs semaglutide, a GLP-1 agonist that mimics a hormone that suppresses food intake and appetite, but also a second hormone called amylin, which promotes feelings of fullness.
The results announced Tuesday were based on a Phase 1 clinical trial in overweight or obese adults, in which participants took either amicretin or a placebo daily for up to 12 weeks. Researchers also tested multiple dosages, including increasing the dose over time for some participants.
The purpose of Phase 1 trials is to test the safety of a new drug, including determining the most effective dosage for patients. Subsequent trials focus on how well the drug works.
That said, people given the weight-loss drug did lose weight: After 12 weeks, participants on the highest dose had lost an average of 13.1% of their body weight, compared with an average of 1.1% for those given the placebo.
Novo Nordisk said the drug is safe and its side effects are similar to those of Ozempic and Wegovi, which include nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain and vomiting.
Lange said the drug company has begun a Phase 2 trial in patients with type 2 diabetes.
How much weight loss is excessive?
McGowan said the weight loss was significant. He remains concerned about how quickly people lose weight.
“While losing weight may seem like the end goal, how you lose weight is important,” he said. “Patients who lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way are much more likely to maintain the weight and preserve lean body mass.”
He also said he would like to get more information about the side effects patients experience while taking the pill, which could provide further insight.
“If patients lost a lot of weight, was it because they were less hungry or because they were sick?” McGowan said.
Spratt said he would like to know how much of the weight loss was fat compared to muscle.
“Muscle helps metabolize glucose, the body’s main source of energy,” she says. “Doctors [losing] We are seeing an increase in muscle mass, especially in older patients.”
She also wondered about the trial’s dropout rate, details of which will probably be shared once the results are published in an academic journal.
“How are you losing so much weight? How often are you having nausea and vomiting?” she asked.
