Glucagon/GLP-1 receptor dual agonist for weight loss shows therapeutic potential

The glucagon/GLP-1 receptor dual agonist survodutide appears to be safe and induce weight loss in individuals with obesity, according to data from a phase II dose-finding trial.

A total of 387 diabetes-free adults with obesity (BMI ≥27 kg/m²) were enrolled across 43 centres in 12 countries for the trial. Of the participants, 386 were randomly assigned to receive subcutaneous survodutide at 0.6 mg (n=77), 2.4 mg (n=78), 3.6 mg (n=77), or 4.8 mg (n=77) or placebo once-weekly for 46 weeks (20 weeks dose escalation; 26 weeks dose maintenance).

There were 233 (60.4 percent) patients who completed the 46-week treatment period (61 percent in the combined survodutide groups and 60 percent in the placebo group).

In the modified intention-to-treat analysis, the primary endpoint of the mean percentage change in bodyweight from baseline to week 46 was greater with survodutide than with placebo, and the higher the dose of survodutide, the greater the weight loss: −6.2 percent with 0.6 mg, −12.5 percent with 2.4 mg, −13.2 percent with 3.6 mg, −14.9 percent with 4.8 mg, −2.8 percent with placebo.

As for safety, adverse events (AEs) occurred in 91 percent of participants who received survodutide and in 75 percent of those who received placebo. The AEs were mostly gastrointestinal (75 percent among survodutide recipients and 42 percent among placebo recipients).