Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) used to treat type 2 diabetes by enhancing insulin secretion, reducing appetite, and promoting weight loss. It is administered as a subcutaneous injection once weekly and has shown significant efficacy in improving glycemic control and reducing body weight.

Semaglutide and Type 2 Diabetes: Efficacy, Safety, and Outcomes

Semaglutide offers a multifaceted approach to type 2 diabetes treatment, enhancing insulin release and reducing blood sugar through glucagon suppression.

What's Next for Semaglutide? Beyond Diabetes and Weight Loss

Diabetes drugs linked to slower frailty progression in older adults

A new study shows that older adults with type 2 diabetes who start treatment with sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors-such as empagliflozin (Jardiance) and dapagliflozin (Farxiga)-or glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists-such as semaglutide (Ozempic) and liraglutide (Victoza)-experience slower progression of frailty over one year compared with those starting other diabetes medications.

3 Dec 2025

WHO releases first guideline on the use of GLP-1 therapies for treating obesity

To address the growing global health challenge of obesity, which affects more than 1 billion people, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first guideline on the use of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies for treating obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease.

2 Dec 2025

Stopping GLP-1 drugs before pregnancy leads to more weight gain

Researchers determine the risk of pregnancy weight gain in patients who were prescribed GLP-1 RAs prior to conception.

1 Dec 2025

Semaglutide helps older adults lose weight without immediate bone loss

Semaglutide shows potential for weight loss in older adults without harming bone density, but longer studies are essential to assess its effects on bone health.

1 Dec 2025

Searches for “Ozempic face” surge as people look for filler-based solutions

Public interest in “Ozempic face” rose sharply from 2022 to 2025, mirrored by increased searches for nonsurgical facial filler procedures. Surgical terms showed neutral or negative associations, indicating consumers are primarily exploring filler-based solutions for GLP-1RA-related facial volume loss.

20 Nov 2025

Study compares GLP-1 drug benefits and finds substantial variation in clinical effects

GLP-1 receptor agonists improve glycaemic control and provide renal, metabolic, and selective cardiovascular benefits in people with type 2 diabetes, based on an umbrella review of 17 meta-analyses. However, these agents consistently increase gastrointestinal adverse effects and show important distinctions between class-level outcomes and individual drug effects, particularly for semaglutide.

20 Nov 2025

Study compares the kidney, cardiovascular and mortality risks of three different GLP-1 RAs

Public interest in drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, also called GLP-1 RAs, has surged in recent years, with popular types like semaglutide (sold under brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy) becoming known for their weight-loss effects.

20 Nov 2025

Oral semaglutide delivers real-world drops in blood sugar and weight in diabetes trial

Oral semaglutide delivered meaningful reductions in HbA1c and body weight among GLP-1RA-naïve adults with type 2 diabetes in a Dutch real-world cohort. Lipid levels and blood pressure showed only small changes, reflecting modest cardiometabolic effects outside glucose and weight control.

18 Nov 2025

GLP-1 drugs beat metformin for weight control in teens with type 2 diabetes

In youth newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, GLP-1–based therapies, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, achieved similar blood sugar control but significantly greater reductions in body mass index than metformin. These findings highlight the potential of high-potency GLP-1 agents as effective monotherapy options in managing obesity and glycemic control in adolescents.

10 Nov 2025

Diabetes drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide show real-world heart benefits

In a large real-world analysis across three U.S. healthcare databases, semaglutide and tirzepatide showed cardiovascular benefits consistent with randomized trials. Semaglutide lowered heart attack and stroke risk versus sitagliptin, while tirzepatide performed comparably to dulaglutide and semaglutide over one year.

10 Nov 2025

Do GLP-1 drugs cause cancer? New review says no, may even protect

A comprehensive review in The Journal of Clinical Investigation finds no overall link between GLP-1 receptor agonists and increased cancer risk, countering early safety concerns. Instead, evidence suggests possible protective effects for certain cancers, supported by metabolic and immune-modulating mechanisms.

4 Nov 2025

GLP-1 drugs calm inflammation beyond diabetes and weight loss

This Journal of Clinical Investigation review describes how glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)–based medicines reduce systemic and tissue inflammation through both weight-dependent and weight-independent mechanisms. It details preclinical and clinical evidence linking GLP-1 receptor activation to cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, neural, and joint anti-inflammatory effects while outlining uncertainties and future research needs.

4 Nov 2025

Resistance exercise may offer greater benefits for preventing diabetes and obesity

Running may help burn calories, but when it comes to preventing diabetes and obesity, pumping iron might have the edge, according to preclinical findings from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.

4 Nov 2025

WHO reviews highlight limited long-term data on GLP-1 drug safety

Three new Cochrane reviews find evidence that GLP-1 drugs result in clinically meaningful weight loss, but industry-funded studies raise questions. The reviews were commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) to inform upcoming guidelines on the use of these drugs to treat obesity.

30 Oct 2025

Diabetes remission possible with GLP-1 drugs, Italian study confirms

In a large real-world Italian cohort, GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy led to measurable rates of type 2 diabetes remission, depending on how remission was defined. The most pragmatic definition (Remission 3) was linked to improved glycemia, weight, and a lower risk of microvascular and cardiovascular events.

29 Oct 2025

AI-powered app matches human-led programs in diabetes prevention

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health report that an AI-powered lifestyle intervention app for prediabetes reduced the risk of diabetes similarly to traditional, human-led programs in adults.

27 Oct 2025

Semaglutide protects the heart beyond weight loss, SELECT trial shows

Semaglutide lowered the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events across all body weight and waist circumference levels in people with overweight or obesity and cardiovascular disease. Early waist reduction explained only a third of this benefit, showing that semaglutide’s heart protection extends beyond fat loss.

26 Oct 2025

Semaglutide can offer important heart benefits that go beyond weight loss

A new analysis of the SELECT trial – the largest and longest clinical trial to date examining the cardiovascular benefits of semaglutide (a medication used to support weight loss and diabetes management) – confirms it also lowers the risk of major heart problems in people who are overweight or obese and already have heart disease, even if they don't have diabetes.

23 Oct 2025

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic may slow how quickly alcohol hits the bloodstream

Preliminary study shows GLP-1 receptor agonists alter alcohol response, suggesting potential for reducing cravings and intoxication in obese individuals.

17 Oct 2025

New enzyme offers cleaner route to more stable diabetes and obesity drugs

Chemistry researchers at the University of Utah have uncovered an enzyme, dubbed PapB, that can "tie off" therapeutic peptides-protein-like drugs-into tight rings, a process known as macrocyclization.

16 Oct 2025