Obesity drug semaglutide fails to slow Alzheimer’s
pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk Semaglutide, the active ingredient in the weight-loss vaccine Wegovy, does not slow Alzheimer’s, despite initial hopes that it might help against dementia, he says.
Researchers began two large trials involving more than 3,800 people following reports that the drug had real-world effects.
But studies have shown that the GLP-1 drug, currently used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, made no difference compared to the dummy drug.
The disappointing results are expected to be presented at an Alzheimer’s disease conference next month and have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Dr Susan Kohlhaas, from Alzheimer’s Research UK, said the results would be a huge blow for people affected by Alzheimer’s.
Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk’s chief scientific officer and vice president of research and development, said: “Based on the significant unmet need in Alzheimer’s disease, as well as a number of indicative data points, we felt we had a responsibility to explore the potential of semaglutide despite the low likelihood of success.
“Although semaglutide has not demonstrated efficacy in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, extensive evidence supporting semaglutide continues to benefit individuals with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and related comorbidities,” he said.
Patients participating in the Evoke trials were between the ages of 55 and 85 and had mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease.
The progression of dementia was monitored and measured through tests and interviews.
Semaglutide treatment improved biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease, but this did not translate into delaying disease progression.
Dr Kohlhaas said: “These trial results are another reminder that Alzheimer’s is driven by many different biological processes. No single approach is likely to be sufficient.
“The field now needs to focus on understanding these processes in much more detail and developing treatments that can be used together to combat the disease from many angles.”
He added that the increasing use of GLP-1 drugs through specialty prescriptions, largely for weight loss, offers an opportunity to collect better real-world data on their long-term effects.
Fiona Carragher, chief policy and research officer at the Alzheimer’s Society, said it was “very disappointing” that these eagerly awaited results were not what everyone had hoped for, but “no attempt is ever wasted”.
“Every study helps us develop better drugs and design better trials in the future.”
He said more than 130 Alzheimer’s drugs are currently in clinical trials, with about 30 of them in late-stage trials. This is the last step before being evaluated by regulators.
