What can’t Ozempic and Wegovy do?
The blockbuster drug semaglutide has seen unprecedented demand over the past year after studies found that the drug, originally developed for type 2 diabetes, was surprisingly effective at losing weight. was seen.On average, patient losses 15 percent of body weight A clinical trial that sparked a media and medical frenzy.
The hype train left the station and picked up speed. Ozempic (as a concern for medical professionals) Diet pills chosen by celebrities. Then more data started flowing in, showing that the drug not only helps people lose weight, but also helps with other weight-related medical problems, including heart attacks, which rank among the most common causes of death in the United States. It was confirmed that it improves the prognosis of stroke and heart disease. Failure. The study, which was partially funded by drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk, found that Estimation The product could help prevent as many as 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes over 10 years.
But wait — that’s not all.
Semaglutide does not directly target adipose tissue. It acts on the human brain to help patients suppress their appetite and lose weight. Researchers are beginning to consider uses that have nothing to do with the drug’s original purpose.Scientists quickly announced They were researching Ozempic’s potential to slow and treat dementia. substance abuse disorder. Novo Nordisk is fund trials To treat fibrosis in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.other clinicians To tell They are also looking at the drug’s potential in treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), one of the leading causes of infertility.
Then last week The news has come In the words of one researcher, semaglutide has the potential to “change the entire natural history of type 1 diabetes.” A century ago, the synthesis of insulin gave people with type 1 diabetes the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives.now very small study It offered a glimpse of a future where we might not need it at all.
For pharmaceutical companies, exploring other clinical applications for Ozempic is just smart business. Previous blockbuster drugs were later approved for uses that may have little to do with their original purpose. Viagra was originally developed as a blood pressure treatment.
People involved in drug development often talk about a “pipeline in a pill,” or “a concept of molecules that can treat many different indications.” Darius Lakdawalaa health economist who studies the pharmaceutical industry at the University of Southern California.
and Ozempic and Wigovy rivals are already in developmentfinding new uses for these drugs is one way manufacturers can stay ahead of their competitors.
However, for patients, new clinical results and media speculation may feel overwhelming. I spoke to several experts to understand what all the hype means. What emerges from this is a drug with truly huge potential, but with a lot of uncertainty ahead.
Ozempic has significant potential to address cardiovascular disease if health systems can afford it
The utility of semaglutide in treating many health conditions associated with obesity is intuitive. If you can reduce a patient’s weight by more than 15%, you can usually lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, which can reduce your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
“The fact that drugs lead to significant weight loss and weight loss is tied to every outcome under the sun, and adding these results to trials related to drugs is not surprising to me. .” Said stacey dusetsinaprofessor of health policy at Vanderbilt University.
And so far, Novo Nordisk-supported research supports that premise. In early August, the company announced A large clinical trial found that taking semaglutide reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by 20 percent in overweight or obese patients over the age of 45 compared to a placebo. (These findings are preliminary; full results are expected later this year.)
Late August, New England Journal of Medicine published This is the result of another small study that looked at how Wegovy affects patients with the most common form of heart failure. The study, also supported by Nordisk, found that patients who took Wigovy had fewer symptoms, fewer physical limitations, greater exercise capacity and greater weight loss than those who took a placebo. did.
Chief researcher told CNN According to these indicators, the results were “the largest treatment effect ever seen.”
It is clear that Ozempic and Wegovy have real potential in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, and research continues to confirm these initial findings. An even bigger issue is cost.
As I’ve written before, health insurance companies typically don’t pay for Ozempic and Wegovy. Medicare and Medicaid generally do not cover weight loss drugs, and neither do most private health insurance companies. Even if a patient and their doctor believe the drug should be covered, certain conditions (such as testing and other documentation requirements) must be met before the health insurance company will agree to pay for the drug. It may not be possible. Without insurance, these drugs cost more than $1,000 per month, which is prohibitive for many patients who would benefit from using them.
It’s part of an argument among doctors that insurance companies should pay for it because it could potentially save lives. However, conflicting evidence complicates the debate.bloomberg report At the end of August, it announced another study that concluded that insurance companies may have to spend up to $1 million at current prices on the drug semaglutide to save one life.
Still, the evidence that Wegovy is beneficial for overall cardiovascular health appears to be strong.
Using Ozempic to treat other conditions remains speculative for now, but more research needs to be done.
In a strange development in science, semaglutide is showing promise against another disease for which it was first approved six years ago: diabetes.
Ozempic first hit the market in 2017 as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, a more common disease often associated with obesity. For people with type 2, insulin is sometimes needed, but not always. Diet and exercise can also help a lot. But because type 1 diabetes is rare and tends to develop early in life, insulin has been a lifeline since it was first produced for humans 100 years ago.
However, Ozempic may be able to change that reality.in small study Of the 10 patients recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, seven were able to stop taking any type of insulin within six months. Their bodies were better able to produce insulin and their blood sugar levels were more stable.
One of the lead researchers described the discovery as “like science fiction.” But his colleagues added an important caveat that applies to many of Ozempic’s more adventurous applications. “More rigorous studies are needed to really confirm the results,” said Dr. Daniel Drucker, a leading researcher on semaglutide. told CNN.
The same goes for drug abuse and the possibility of dementia.
Those involved in addiction treatment say Ozempic and Wegovy have generated a lot of buzz in their field. But there is no evidence yet. In a study on mice published in 2021, found Although use of similar drugs does not seem to affect cocaine use, people who took semaglutide self-reported reduced alcohol intake.
Dementia is one of several conditions where semaglutide’s ability to improve cardiovascular health may also contribute to other less obvious health benefits. Heart health is a risk factor for dementia, including: Preliminary research from Denmark People taking semaglutide Dementia rate is low. More serious research is currently underway.Similarly, weight and heart health are linked to his risk of PCOS, which can lead to irregular periods and infertility, scientists say. Optimistic Ozempic and Wegovy believe there may be health benefits for these conditions as well.
This is an exciting moment and there is good reason to be excited about Ozempic’s potential. But we are still in the early stages of this amazing story. We still have a long way to go.
