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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an injectable diabetes drug that helps with long-term weight control.
"This injection under the skin is the first drug approved for chronic weight management in overweight or generally obese adults since 2014," the FDA said in a statement Friday.
Studies showed that the injection called semaglutide, given once a week, helped people lose up to 12% of their body weight for about a year and a half compared to people who received a placebo injection, and 15% of your overall body weight.
Semaglutide, which will be sold under the brand name Wegovy from manufacturer Novo Nordisk, affects a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 and increases insulin production.
But it also appears to suppress appetite by acting on the brain, the FDA said.
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Approved Weight Loss Drugs
The FDA said new treatments for obesity are needed.
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“About 70% of American adults are obese or overweight.
Being obese or overweight is a serious health problem associated with some of the leading causes of death, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes, and is linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer, ”the agency said in the statement.
"Losing 5% to 10% of body weight through diet and exercise has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in overweight or obese adult patients," he added.
People without diabetes who took the drug, along with a modified eating plan and additional exercise, lost an average of 12.4% of their starting body weight over 16 months, compared to people who received a placebo along with the plan of exercise and diet.
Diabetes patients who tried the drug lost 6.2% more of their body weight compared to people who received sham injections.
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The trial showed that people using Wegovy lost 14.9% of their body weight after about 16 months, compared to those who received placebo injections, who lost 2.4% of their body weight.
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There are few drugs specifically approved for weight loss in the United States.
Among them is orlistat, sold under the brand name Xenical, which helps reduce the amount of fat the body absorbs.
Also Qsymia, a drug that combines the appetite suppressant phentermine with the anticonvulsant drug topiramate;
Contrave, which combines the addiction drug naltrexone with the antidepressant bupropion;
and liraglutide or Saxenda, a diabetes medicine that is similar to semaglutide.
The drug can have side effects, including inflammation of the pancreas, increased heart rate, nausea, diarrhea, and suicidal thoughts.
It can also cause gallstones, so patients using the injections should keep in contact with a doctor or other healthcare provider.
Diabetes FDA Obesity