Excitement is building around a new weight loss drug, CagriSema, which is expected to surpass the effects of popular drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of both, recently shared that CagriSema may lead to 10 percent more weight loss than Wegovy. Here’s what we know so far about this promising new option for those seeking weight loss solutions.
CagriSema expected to yield more weight loss
Novo Nordisk’s head of development, Martin Holst Lange, told Reuters that CagriSema could deliver 25 percent weight loss, compared to Wegovy’s 15 percent. Trial participants also experienced similar side effects to other GLP-1 weight loss drugs on the market, such as Ozempic and Wegovy.
What we know about CagriSema so far
CagriSema is a combination of semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic) and a new compound called cagrilintide, which mimics the hormone amylin. Amylin works with insulin to regulate blood glucose levels, slow digestion, and reduce appetite—making it a potent addition to weight loss treatments.
The trial studied the efficacy and safety of a fixed dose combination of CagriSema (2.4 mg semaglutide and 2.4 mg cagrilintide) compared to the individual components semaglutide 2.4 mg (the highest dose of Wegovy) and cagrilintide 2.4 mg, all administered once weekly, in 92 overweight people with type 2 diabetes.
After 32 weeks of treatment, people taking CagriSema showed a significantly higher blood sugar reduction of 2.18 percent points compared to a reduction of 1.79 percentage points for people treated with semaglutide alone and 0.93 percentage points with cagrilintide alone, researchers reported.
Additionally, those treated with CagriSema experienced a higher body weight reduction of 15.6 percent compared to a reduction of 5.1 percent for people treated with semaglutide and 8.1 percent with cagrilintide. The medication also appeared to have a safe and well-tolerated profile, noted Novo Nordisk.
“We are encouraged by the impressive phase 2 results for CagriSema in people with type 2 diabetes,” said Lange. “The results indicate that CagriSema reduces blood sugar more than semaglutide alone and the weight loss seen in the trial confirms the substantial weight-lowering potential of CagriSema.”
What we don’t know about CagriSema
HaVy Ngo-Hamilton, Pharmd.D., pharmacist and clinical consultant at BuzzRx, cautions not to get overly enthusiastic just yet about the possibility of 25 percent weight loss from this drug.
“While the results from this phase II trial may sound promising, a phase III study is required to confirm the treatment’s efficacy and safety,” she says. “Digestive-related adverse effects are more significant with the combination product than with monotherapy of cagrilintide and semaglutide.”
Another important note: all participants involved in this phase II trial are adults who are overweight or obese and who also have diabetes. More data is necessary to investigate the effects of this medication in other populations, such as obese or overweight adults with other weight-related comorbidities such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, says Ngo-Hamilton.
When will CagriSema become available?
The company is currently conducting a phase 3 development program for CagriSema in overweight people with type 2 diabetes, and results are expected around the end of 2024.
Assuming the Phase 3 trial is successful, Novo Nordisk will likely submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formally requesting the administration’s review for approval of the drug, says Ngo-Hamilton.
After that application is submitted, the typical timeline is anywhere from 6-10 months for the FDA to review and make a decision on whether to approve the drug for commercial use, she explains.
“Generally, the approval process is streamlined or expedited in the case of drugs that meet an emergent public health need, which might include a national drug shortage, such as the case of Ozempic and Wegovy, due to their increased popularity.”
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This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.