In the highly competitive landscape of weight loss treatments, a new player, amycretin, has entered the field with early trial results that are turning heads. The experimental weight loss pill developed by Novo Nordisk is reporting a 13% loss in body weight over a three-month period. This figure more than doubles the average weight loss seen with current industry giants, Ozempic and Wegovy, both of which are based on the compound semaglutide and typically see a weight reduction of about 6% in the same timeframe.
As pharmaceutical giants vie for a leading position in a sector where demand has catapulted companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to sky-high valuations. The buzz around these developments isn’t just industry chatter; Novo Nordisk’s shares jumped by more than eight percent following the announcement of amycretin’s early trial results.
Amycretin’s distinguishing factor lies in its dual mechanism of action, mimicking two hormones—GLP-1 and amylin—instead of just one. This appears to give the drug a potent edge, according to Daniel Drucker from the University of Toronto, who, while not involved in the trial, has consulted for Novo Nordisk.
But before jumping to conclusions, experts urge caution and patience. Daniel Drucker notes, “These are not head-to-head trials,” indicating that long-term effectiveness and safety are yet to be established under the same conditions. Nonetheless, it’s clear that amycretin’s initial outcomes are promising. In comparison to patients on placebo pills, who only lost 1% of their weight, amycretin’s performance is notably more significant.
One advantage of amycretin that could make it a game-changer is its oral form. “An oral pill is very attractive,” comments Daniel Chancellor at Citeline. This could provide a compelling alternative for patients adverse to the weekly injections required by Wegovy and Ozempic’s sister drug, Mounjaro, which also leverages a GLP-1 agonist mechanism.
While the weight loss market is witnessing a surge in injectable drugs with impressive results, such as Mounjaro’s roughly 21% weight loss over the first year and five months, the convenience of a pill like amycretin cannot be overlooked. Novo Nordisk’s innovation is set in a wider context where other companies, including Amgen and Regeneron, are also actively developing next-generation weight loss drugs that may offer oral administration or less frequent dosing.
As for the safety profile, amycretin has reported side effects similar to those of Wegovy, which can include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, especially if the dose is increased too quickly. These side effects are a common thread among medicines that mimic GLP-1, a class of drugs with over a decade of use in treating type 2 diabetes and a well-understood safety profile.
Relevant articles:
– Experimental weight loss pill seems to be more potent than Ozempic
– Ozempic and Wegovy’s 6 new weight loss drug competitors, Quartz, Sun, 10 Mar 2024 09:00:00 GMT
– New weight loss pill more effective than Ozempic: Novo Nordisk, Medical Xpress, Fri, 08 Mar 2024 17:12:47 GMT
– Another day, another win for Novo in obesity, as early oral med appears to beat Wegovy, Fierce Biotech, Thu, 07 Mar 2024 14:27:49 GMT