The “excess kilos” market is a jungle, we know. A place where fortunes are made and where competition is fierce. Ozempic is not the only one dictating the law, on the contrary. Challengers are popping up from everywhere, even from the Far East, like that certain Chinese drug that is said to promise sparks. In this medical-pharmaceutical Wild West scenario, the Novo Nordisk, who is not about to let the spotlight be taken away, has landed a hat-trick. Three new slimming drugs, presented almost simultaneously, to demonstrate that the monopoly (or almost) on your rolls is not given up so easily. A move that smacks of siege. Or surrender, depending on who you are.
Three new slimming drugs in the ring
You know that gold rush that broke out just after ozempic e wegovy flexed their muscles (or rather, shed their mass)? Now, brace yourselves. Novo Nordisk, the same drug company that transformed semaglutide from a diabetes drug into a global anti-obesity phenomenon, is not resting on its laurels. In one weekend, they published scientific data on no less than three new candidates. Not one, not two, but three distinct therapeutic approaches. It almost seems like they want to say: “If you don’t like this, we have this other one. In fact, here’s a third one. You choose. Just as long as the wallet stays here”.
This market, let's face it, moves mind-boggling figures. We're talking about profits that exceed 10 billion dollars, with almost half of that coming in just last year. Do you understand why no one wants to be left behind? And Novo Nordisk's strategic move seems clear: with these new slimming drugs they don't want to limit themselves to those who are severely obese, but to target those who "only" have a few extra pounds (perhaps for "maintenance" after losing weight) and, surprise of surprises, for those who just can't stand injections.
Cagrisema, the successor who works (almost) miracles
The first on the list, the one who seems to be the thoroughbred destined to collect the legacy of Ozempic and Wegovy, is called CagriSema. Let's get this straight: its story didn't start out very well. The first data in February had the stock markets shaking and, it is rumored, cost the CEO his job. But the complete data from the phase IIIa study (the big one) have come out, and on paper, well, they make an impression.
CagriSema It's a combination of semaglutide (the one in Ozempic) and cagrilintide, an amylin analogue. In simple terms, while semaglutide works on the feeling of satiety and slows stomach emptying, cagrilintide hits the hunger signal in the brain hard, enhancing the effect. The result? In the REDEFINE 1 study, with 3417 overweight or obese participants, an average loss of 68% of body weight was recorded after 20,4 weeks. Imagine, almost 20% of participants lost 30% or more of their weight. Numbers that make semaglutide alone pale (around 15% in the same period of time).
And there's more. CagriSema seems to be slightly better at making you lose fat than muscle mass, a detail not to be underestimated for those who are seriously fighting the scale. Sure, there are side effects, mainly gastrointestinal disturbances (nausea, constipation, vomiting) which led 6% of the participants to abandon the study. But, they say, they are mostly transitory and mild-moderate. The Novo Nordisk will aim to have it approved as a weekly injection by 2026. We'll see. As Dr. Timothy Garvey, one of the main researchers (University of Alabama at Birmingham), in this study “CagriSema provided weight loss in the highest range of efficacy observed with existing weight loss interventions.” A perspective also confirmed by other studies on the market of excess kilos.
Amicretin, the slimming drugs we could swallow
This is the other ace up the sleeve, perhaps the one that could change the rules of the game for many: Amicretin. Its strong point? In addition to the weekly injectable version, they are developing a in pill form to be taken every day. Goodbye syringes, at least for some?
Amicretin is a different molecule, a single entity that acts on both GLP-1 receptors (the 'old' ones) and amylin receptors (the 'new' ones), combining the effect in a single substance. The goal is the same as CagriSema: enhance the sense of satiety and appetite control compared to semaglutide alone.
Early studies on Amicretin are promising, although the numbers do not reach the heights of CagriSema (at least for now). In the study with weekly injections, The 20 mg dose resulted in an average weight loss of 13,1% over 36 weeks. A subgroup that tried higher doses had losses “up to 24,3%,” but in a smaller sample. Again, gastrointestinal side effects were common but manageable.
The real novelty, and perhaps the most anticipated move by the market (and by those who are afraid of needles), is the oral version. In a 12-week study, those who took the highest dose (100 mg daily) lost an average of 5,3% of their weight. Lower numbers, true, but it's a pill! Think about it. It doesn't require a cold chain for storage, it's easy to carry around, and for those who aren't clinically obese but are just overweight, it could be an attractive option. Martin Holst Lange, Executive Vice President of Development at Novo Nordisk, expressed satisfaction, saying that these results reflect their strong pipeline and focus on innovation to offer more options to patients. A rich pipeline, as I mentioned here.
What can I say: if they are roses they will bloom. If they are kilos…they will drop.
