Oral GLP-1 pill delivers nearly 12 percent weight loss in 36 weeks, study finds

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(NewsNation) — Patients taking the oral GLP-1 drug aleniglipron saw up to a 12 percent reduction in body weight after 36 weeks, according to researchers.

The study, conducted at Northwestern University, found the drug stimulates insulin secretion, suppresses appetite and increases satiety to promote weight loss.

“The difference with aleniglipron is it’s a small molecule, meaning it’s chemically made and can be taken with or without food,” said Dr. Robert Kushner, a co-author of the study and a professor at Northwestern. “Most medications we take — whether aspirin or blood pressure drugs — are small molecules. Because of that, they can potentially be combined with other medications.”

Researchers analyzed 230 adults with overweight or obesity across 38 U.S. medical centers. Participants took once-daily oral doses of aleniglipron, with doses increasing every four weeks, or received a placebo over 36 weeks.

At the end of the study, average weight loss from baseline was:

9.0 percent in the 45-milligram group

10.7 percent in the 90-milligram group

12.1 percent in the 120-milligram group

The study also found gastrointestinal side effects were mild to moderate and decreased over time.

“We didn’t find any concerns or new safety signals,” Kushner said. “We found a dose that appears effective, and dose escalation will be slowed further in phase III trials to improve tolerability.”

What is aleniglipron?

Aleniglipron is an oral, small-molecule drug in development for treating obesity. It is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

A previous study from Structure Therapeutics found the drug contributed to about 16% weight loss over 39 weeks.

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