The drug Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) and is the recently approved agent of this drug group. It is the only GLP-1RA presently supplied as both oral and subcutaneous formulation. While GLP-1RAs successfully enhance glycemic control and cause weight loss, probable safety concerns have emerged over the years. For the medicine semaglutide, such concerns have been acknowledged in the extensive phase-3 registration trials, including cardiovascular outcome trials for both subcutaneous (SUSTAIN) and oral (PIONEER) semaglutide and are being evaluated in further studies and registries, including real-world data studies.
Off-label Prescriptions:
Since the medicine semaglutide has several benefits in the management of weight, doctors have started recommending it as a weight-loss therapy to all those who don’t also have type 2 diabetes (T2D). This is done off-label in the UK. This doesn’t simply mean that they’re unsafe for use.
Clinical Trials on Semaglutide:
No therapeutic drug is 100% risk-free, but to make sure that they do not cause harm and are promising, they go through several clinical studies before they get approval. Semaglutide has gone through all the clinical studies required. It has been shown to be safe and promising as a treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D) in several studies, and it has also been found to have good effects on weight loss in those with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
There are also certain clinical studies looking at how semaglutide affects weight in those without type 2 diabetes (T2D). These studies have demonstrated that semaglutide has superior antiobesity effects in comparison to placebo and metformin (which is another type of therapy to treat type 2 diabetes). When compared to other weight loss medicines, semaglutide was still found to be one of the most promising weight loss therapies.
When semaglutide was assessed on laboratory animals, it showed an increased risk of thyroid tumors, including cancer. This does not simply mean that the medicine has the same effect on humans, but as a precautionary measure, the medicine semaglutide is not being recommended if anyone or any of their family members have ever had a type of thyroid cancer known as medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).
Reference:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.645563/full
