A recycled type 2 diabetes drug helped obese teens lose a significant amount of body weight, lowered their cardiovascular disease risk factors and improved their weight-related quality of life in a 68-week clinical trial, researchers reported this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. .
The drug is semaglutide (brand name Wegovy), which was first approved in 2017 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but has since also been shown to be useful for weight loss in obese or overweight adults. The drug works by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite and food intake, the Food and Drug Administration explained while using it for weight loss in adults approved.
The new data suggests it could also significantly help teens struggling with obesity and overweight improve their health and outlook as they mature. One in five children and teens in the U.S. is obese, which can lead to serious health problems for children, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems and joint problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of course, semaglutide is not a magic cure for obesity, which is a complex, multifactorial, chronic disease. The researchers note that in a seven-week follow-up after the 68-week treatment, some teens regained a small amount of weight, suggesting they may need to continue taking the drug to maintain their weight loss. It’s also unclear how long a person can take the drug while still seeing weight loss. Still, the drug could be a useful new tool in the fight against a persistent, progressive condition.
Results
In the phase 3, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study reported this week, researchers had teens between the ages of 12 and 17 take a weekly injection of 2.4 mg of semaglutide for 68 weeks.
Of the 201 teens who participated in the study, 133 obese and one overweight teens were treated with semaglutide, while 67 received a placebo. Both groups, together with their parents and carers, also received information about healthy nutrition and exercise.
The drug seemed generally safe, with some gastrointestinal side effects — nausea, vomiting and diarrhea — seen mainly in the early phases of treatment, which tended to subside as the weeks went on.
After 68 weeks, those treated with semaglutide lost an average of about 15 percent of their original weight — about 34 pounds. In the placebo group, teens gained about 3 percent of their original weight — about 5 pounds. The mean change in BMI (body mass index) was -16 percent in the treatment group and +0.6 percent in the placebo group.
In the treatment group, 73 percent lost at least 5 percent of their weight, 62 percent lost at least 10 percent, and 37 percent lost at least 20 percent. Treated teens also saw reductions in clinically important cardiovascular risk factors, including lower waist circumference, total cholesterol and triglycerides, which were not seen in the placebo group. Finally, the treated teens reported improvements in their quality of life scores on physical comfort.
