A pill version of Ozempic (semaglutide), a Type 2 diabetes drug in high demand for its off-label use for weight loss, resulted in 15.1 percent weight loss among phase 3 study participants.
Of the 667 adult participants who are obese or overweight, those who received 50 milligrams of semaglutide "achieved a superior weight loss of 15.1 percent compared to a reduction of 2.4 percent with placebo, and 84.9 percent achieved a weight loss of 5 percent or more, compared to 25.8 percent with placebo," drugmaker Novo Nordisk said May 22 in a news release.
If all people adhered to the treatment for 68 weeks, the average weight loss would be 17.4 percent, compared to the placebo's 1.8 percent reduction.
Novo Nordisk said it plans to file for regulatory approval in 2023.