‘Significant and sustained’ weight loss seen in adults with obesity treated with Wegovy™
A two-year study of adults with obesity who were treated with Wegovy™ (semaglutide 2.4 mg) has shown that participants achieved an average weight loss of 15.2 per cent.
This is compared to an average weight loss of 2.6 per cent in those given placebo.
The STEP 5 trial, which included a reduced calorie meal plan and increased exercise, showed that 77.1 per cent of participants were more likely to lose at least 5 per cent of their body weight with Wegovy™ versus 34.4 per cent with placebo.
The findings add to the growing body of evidence for Wegovy™, including the New England Journal of Medicine publication in March 2021 for the STEP 1 study.
In the UK, obesity is estimated to affect around one in every four adults and obesity levels have almost doubled since 1993, from 15 per cent to 28 per cent.
It is estimated that the UK government currently spends approximately £6b a year on helping the NHS treat chronic conditions associated with obesity, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
The latest study into the effectiveness of Wegovy™ saw 304 adults with at least one weight-related comorbidity take part.
Rachel Batterham, Professor of Obesity, Diabetes and Endocrinology at University College London, said: “The number of people living with obesity in the UK has almost doubled since 1993. Science has shown that obesity is a complex multifactorial medical condition associated with several life-limiting diseases, including Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and weight loss can lead to improvements of these.
“While lifestyle interventions are the cornerstone for all weight management programmes, in reality for the majority of people with severe obesity, these alone are ineffective in terms of resulting in sufficient weight loss to improve their health. To date, there have been few effective treatment options for healthcare professionals and patients before bariatric surgery is considered.
“The STEP 5 data are encouraging for this potential new treatment option, as they demonstrate that adults with obesity were able to lose weight (versus placebo) and maintain the weight loss at two years. These findings suggest that we will soon be able offer more effective medical treatment to people living with obesity that will improve their health.”
Avideh Nazeri, Vice President Clinical, Medical and Regulatory for Novo Nordisk UK, said: “Over 100 different factors influence weight – including genes, environment and mental health – and many people find themselves struggling to keep weight off after they diet. It is very encouraging for us to see that in the STEP 5 trial, even after two years of treatment with Wegovy™, there is a significant and sustained weight loss versus placebo. We are very pleased with what these findings could offer to people living with obesity.”
The most common adverse effects from Wegovy™ reported during the STEP 5 trial were gastrointestinal disorders (82.2 per cent), psychiatric disorders (17.1 per cent), allergic reactions (15.1 per cent) and injection site reactions (6.6 per cent).
In the STEP 5 trial, Wegovy™ was well tolerated with a safety profile in line with previous STEP Phase 3a trials.
Wegovy™ has been approved for use in the UK as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, in adults with an initial BMI of ≥30 kg/m2 (obesity), or ≥27 kg/m2 to <30 kg/m2 (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbidity.
Novo Nordisk will now work alongside the NHS to support access to Wegovy™ for eligible patients.