Novo Nordisk, a leading pharmaceutical company, is making strides in weight loss treatment with its experimental drug, amycretin. Preliminary data from a Phase I trial suggests this oral medication could outperform its existing blockbuster drug, semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy), in terms of weight loss. This is particularly exciting because amycretin is a pill, unlike the injectable semaglutide.
The data, presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting, revealed that participants taking amycretin lost an average of 13.1% of their body weight over 12 weeks. This is significantly higher than the placebo group and potentially surpasses semaglutide’s effectiveness. High-dose semaglutide trials typically show an average weight loss of around 6% after three months and 15% after six months. Amycretin’s early results suggest a potential weight loss of 25% or more over six months, a level comparable to bariatric surgery and unmatched by current obesity medications. This has led some experts, like Dr. Susan Spratt at Duke Health, to describe it as a potential “miracle pill.”
It’s important to note that this data is preliminary and hasn’t undergone peer review. Phase I trials primarily focus on safety, not efficacy. Novo Nordisk reported mild to moderate side effects, similar to semaglutide, with the most common being gastrointestinal issues like nausea and diarrhea, which often subside over time.
The science behind amycretin supports its potential. While semaglutide mimics the gut hormone GLP-1, which regulates blood sugar and appetite, amycretin mimics both GLP-1 and amylin, another crucial hormone for appetite and blood sugar control. This dual-action approach, also seen in Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound), has demonstrated superior weight loss compared to semaglutide.
Further research is essential to confirm amycretin’s effectiveness and safety. However, this is one of several promising weight loss treatments under development by Novo Nordisk and its competitors. Another candidate, CagriSema, combines an amylin analog with semaglutide and has shown early results suggesting similar weight loss potential as amycretin.
