Weight loss of 15pc recorded in new obesity drug trials, involving UCD professor
The findings that a new drug called CarigSema far outperforms Ozempic and other weight loss drugs - was announced in Chicago at the 85th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association.
'The REDEFINE 2 study showed that CagriSema, a new treatment in development for the disease of obesity, can allow patients with type 2 diabetes lose 15pc body weight, while putting their blood sugar levels back in the normal range,' said Professor Carel LeRoux, a leading weight-loss researcher at the UCD Conway Institute, and a principal investigator on the study.
'What patients often tell us is that they again can do all the things they want because they feel so much more functional,' said Prof Le Roux.
'We also see that the side effects are manageable and clinicians are getting much better at reducing common side effects.
'Taken together, this will allow clinicians to control the disease of obesity, which will allow us to disrupt the disease of type 2 diabetes.'
CarigSema is a combination of Cagrilintide and Semaglutide. The latter is marketed under the brands of Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus.
CarigSema is seen as a potential follow-on treatment for people already being treated for obesity, and type 2 diabetes, or both, with Ozempic and Wegovy or Mounjaro – a drug that slows down the rate at which food leaves the stomach.
CarigSema is a combination of Semaglutide, a so-called GLP-1 analogue that is better known as Ozempic, and Cagrilintide is an analogue of Amylin.
An analogue in chemistry is the name for something that is similar, but not identical to something else, and often mimics its action inside the body.
The GLP-1 analogues, which include Ozempic and Wegovy, act by imitating incretin, a natural hormone that decreases blood sugars and reduces appetite.
ADVERTISEMENT
Meanwhile, Cagrilintide, is an analogue of Amylin, another natural hormone in the body and one which promotes satiety - the feeling of being full after eating.
'In a phase three clinical trial, participants with type 2 diabetes and obesity experienced unprecedented weight loss,' said Prof Le Roux, who said that the CarigSema trial 'marks a turning point' in weight and diabetes management.
'Many participants expressed joy in regaining abilities that their condition had previously hindered – playing with grandchildren, tying shoelaces and performing daily activities became accessible once more.'
The treatment, said Prof Le Roux, involves a weekly injection, which enables patients to manage their disease, and also accommodate healthier lifestyles.
The REDEFINE trial results offer a 'beacon of hope' for people living with type 2 diabetes and obesity, he said, with results that promise to promote not just weight loss, but to enhance people's quality of life and well-being.
'Patients can look forward to a future where managing diabetes can lead to healthier lifestyles and renewed vitality,' said Prof Le Roux.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
8 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Weight loss of 15pc recorded in new obesity drug trials, involving UCD professor
The findings that a new drug called CarigSema far outperforms Ozempic and other weight loss drugs - was announced in Chicago at the 85th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association. 'The REDEFINE 2 study showed that CagriSema, a new treatment in development for the disease of obesity, can allow patients with type 2 diabetes lose 15pc body weight, while putting their blood sugar levels back in the normal range,' said Professor Carel LeRoux, a leading weight-loss researcher at the UCD Conway Institute, and a principal investigator on the study. 'What patients often tell us is that they again can do all the things they want because they feel so much more functional,' said Prof Le Roux. 'We also see that the side effects are manageable and clinicians are getting much better at reducing common side effects. 'Taken together, this will allow clinicians to control the disease of obesity, which will allow us to disrupt the disease of type 2 diabetes.' CarigSema is a combination of Cagrilintide and Semaglutide. The latter is marketed under the brands of Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus. CarigSema is seen as a potential follow-on treatment for people already being treated for obesity, and type 2 diabetes, or both, with Ozempic and Wegovy or Mounjaro – a drug that slows down the rate at which food leaves the stomach. CarigSema is a combination of Semaglutide, a so-called GLP-1 analogue that is better known as Ozempic, and Cagrilintide is an analogue of Amylin. An analogue in chemistry is the name for something that is similar, but not identical to something else, and often mimics its action inside the body. The GLP-1 analogues, which include Ozempic and Wegovy, act by imitating incretin, a natural hormone that decreases blood sugars and reduces appetite. ADVERTISEMENT Meanwhile, Cagrilintide, is an analogue of Amylin, another natural hormone in the body and one which promotes satiety - the feeling of being full after eating. 'In a phase three clinical trial, participants with type 2 diabetes and obesity experienced unprecedented weight loss,' said Prof Le Roux, who said that the CarigSema trial 'marks a turning point' in weight and diabetes management. 'Many participants expressed joy in regaining abilities that their condition had previously hindered – playing with grandchildren, tying shoelaces and performing daily activities became accessible once more.' The treatment, said Prof Le Roux, involves a weekly injection, which enables patients to manage their disease, and also accommodate healthier lifestyles. The REDEFINE trial results offer a 'beacon of hope' for people living with type 2 diabetes and obesity, he said, with results that promise to promote not just weight loss, but to enhance people's quality of life and well-being. 'Patients can look forward to a future where managing diabetes can lead to healthier lifestyles and renewed vitality,' said Prof Le Roux.
The Irish Sun
15 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I lost half my bodyweight but it had nothing to do with Ozempic – a simple daily exercise helped me shed the pounds
A WOMAN has revealed how she lost 10 stone in two years without Ozempic thanks to one simple daily exercise. Hannah Mai, 37, was diagnosed with Cushing's disease - a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol - in October 2020, after gaining 10 stone in two and a half years. Advertisement 8 Hannah Mai gained 10st due to a rare condition that saw her balloon to 20st Credit: SWNS 8 She has now lost the weight in just two years Credit: SWNS 8 However, Hannah did it all naturally without the help of fat jabs Credit: SWNS Five months after her diagnosis, in February 2021, Hannah underwent brain surgery to remove the pituitary tumour that causes the condition, and was placed on steroids to control her condition. In April, 2023, Hannah was taken off her steroid medication and was determined to shed the 10 stone she gained due to the disease as she now weighed 20st 5lbs and was a size 26. In two years, Hannah slimmed down to 10 stone 4lbs and a size 10 by eating high-protein meals and doing pilates every day. Hannah, who is currently unemployed, from Coventry, Warwickshire, says: "I think Ozempic is great for people who need it, and for medical reasons. Advertisement Read More on Weight Losss "It is really helping some people, but I feel if you give yourself a chance, you can really push yourself. "Once I started losing the weight, I just kept going. "It isn't easy, you really have to push yourself, and focus on who you want to be and think about who you want to be." When she turned 30, Hannah noticed she started gaining weight and went from nine stone to 16 stone in a few months. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous She said she kept going to the doctor, but would always be asked if she was pregnant, or the weight gain was blamed on hormones. Hannah says: "I was always around nine stone, but I noticed how I started to gain a bit of weight. Doc gives advice on how to tackle Mounjaro side effect of excess loose skin "I knew there was something wrong with me, but people around me thought I had changed my diet and asked if I was eating more. "I was asked if I was pregnant six times, and told that my weight gain could be caused by hormones. Advertisement "I went up to 20 stone at my heaviest." In October 2020, more than two years after she started gaining weight, Hannah woke up one morning with a hunched back. Hannah googled the cause, and it mentioned Cushing's disease, and after seeing the other symptoms - including weight gain - she went straight to the doctor. The doctor transferred her to University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire, where an MRI scan and blood test confirmed she had Cushing's disease. Advertisement Hannah says: "I printed off the list of symptoms and took them to my doctor, who then referred me to the hospital. "There, I had an MRI scan and blood tests, which confirmed that I had Cushing's disease. 8 She switched up her diet to calorie controlled and fresh ingredients Credit: SWNS 8 As well as healthy eating she also practiced pilates every day Credit: SWNS Advertisement 8 Hannah says that anyone can lose weight if they put the hard work in Credit: SWNS "I was relieved but scared when I got the diagnosis. I had been saying for years that there was something wrong with me." Five months after her diagnosis, in February 2021, Hannah underwent brain surgery to remove the pituitary tumour that causes the condition, and was placed on steroids to control her condition. Then, after two years on steroid medication -to control her condition - Hannah was taken off her meds because she started to get better. Advertisement After she came off her medication, Hannah says she knew she was better and became determined to lose weight. The 5 best exercises to lose weight By Lucy Gornall, personal trainer and health journalist EXERCISE can be intimidating and hard to devote yourself to. So how do you find the right workout for you? As a PT and fitness journalist, I've tried everything. I've taken part in endless fitness competitions, marathons and I maintain a regime of runs, strength training and Pilates. Fitness is so entrenched in my life, I stick to it even at Christmas! The key is finding an activity you love that can become a habit. My top five forms of exercise, especially if you're trying to lose weight, are: Walking Running Pilates High-intensity interval training (HIIT) Strength training She adds: "It wasn't easy to lose weight whilst I was still on steroids, as soon as I came off them, I knew this was my body and I was a lot better. "I really pushed myself, I worked super hard, cut out all sugar, cut out dairy, and gluten after I was diagnosed with celiac disease "I have a low-carb, high-protein diet with lots of vegetables, and I do pilates every day." In two years, Hannah was able to shift the pounds going down to 10 stone from 20 stone. Advertisement She went from wearing a size 26 clothes to wearing a size 10 - back to where she was before Cushing's disease. Hannah says: "I am super proud of myself, I am always worried that the weight will come back. "I feel so much happier. When I look back at myself, I just can't believe I was that size. "When I look back at old photos, I feel very sad about what happened to me, but it makes me think that I need to be proud about how far I have come." Advertisement Hannah is currently raising money for The Pituitary Foundation, to donate click 8 Hannah is 'so much happier' now she has lost the weight Credit: SWNS 8 She says she is extremely proud of how far she has come Credit: SWNS
Extra.ie
a day ago
- Extra.ie
New weight loss pill set to rival 'fat jab' shows promising results in early trials
A new weight loss treatment that can be taken as either a daily pill or a weekly injection has shown very promising results in initial trials, according to a new study. In one of the tests, 125 adults were assigned weekly injections of a drug called 'AMYCRETIN', and early results showed that those receiving the 60 milligram dose lost nearly a quarter of their body weight over 36 weeks. 'Amycretin' is a 'unimolecular long-acting GLP-1 and amylin receptor agonist' under development by Novo Nordisk, to provide a treatment for adults with obesity and as a treatment for adults with type 2 diabetes. Pic: Shutterstock If the initial results turn out to be effective in the long run, this may make 'Amycretin' a more effective treatment for obesity than other weight loss drugs like Weygovy and Ozempic. Another trial enrolled 144 adults to test the 'pill version' of 'Amycretin'. Those who took the 100 milligram daily tablet lost an average of 13.1 percent of their weight over 12 weeks. Novo-Nordisk, who are heading up the research into this new medication says initial trials suggest Amycretin could be on the market by next year. Pic: Getty Images The strongest prescription weight loss medication currently approved by the FDA is Semaglutide, marketed under brand names like Wegovy and Ozempic (for diabetes, also used off-label for weight loss).
