Researchers have hailed a new once-a-day weight loss pill as an “important advancement” in type 2 diabetes care.
A new study compared the medication, named orforglipron, against the only existing tablet version of a GLP-1 receptor agonist – a type of medication prescribed for controlling blood sugar and weight loss.
Academics found that orforglipron not only helped patients get their blood sugar levels under control but also had greater effects on weight loss compared with the current option.
Researchers also noted that orforglipron has the advantage of being taken without any restrictions on food or water intake, while the current version, oral semaglutide, can only be taken in the morning on an empty stomach, some 30 minutes before a patient eats and has only consumed a small cup of water.
The international team of academics performed the study on 1,500 people with type 2 diabetes, which is not controlled well with the current drug metformin.
These people were being cared for at 131 medical research centres and hospitals in Argentina, China, Japan, Mexico and the US.
People were given either orforglipron (12mg or 36mg) or oral semaglutide (7mg or 14mg) and took the drug for a year.
Researchers found that orforglipron was “non-inferior and superior” to semaglutide for blood sugar level reduction.
Those involved started the study with an average body weight of 97kg, with an average body mass index score of 35, meaning they were clinically classed as obese.
The research team reported that both groups taking orforglipron showed “significant” weight reductions from as early as four weeks into treatment.
People taking the new drug lost between six and eight per cent of their body weight during the study period.
Those taking semaglutide lost four to five per cent of their total body weight.
But the authors said that more people who took orforglipron reported side effects compared with the group who took oral semaglutide, with the most frequent side effects reported to be gastrointestinal.
“Orforglipron represents an important advancement in the oral treatment landscape for type 2 diabetes,” the authors wrote in the journal The Lancet.
“Its efficacy, safety, tolerability, and simple dosing could address important barriers associated with current incretin-based therapies, offering a new highly efficacious and safe option for individuals seeking effective glycaemic and weight control without the use of injections or administration restrictions.”
Douglas Twenefour, head of clinical at Diabetes UK, said: “GLP-1 medications, alongside appropriate support, are effective tools for both weight loss and type 2 diabetes management, so we welcome these latest findings.
“It’s vital that people living with obesity and type 2 diabetes have access to a range of safe and effective treatments to ensure they can find the option that best fits their preference and clinical needs.
“If approved, an oral option like orforglipron could also support more people to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes and help tackle the impact of ill health caused by obesity.”
