Semaglutide 2.4 mg Once-Weekly Shows Significant Weight Loss for Overweight and Obesity

Globally, overweight and obesity are major public health challenges, contributing to a host of comorbidities like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Despite various interventions, achieving and maintaining significant weight loss remains difficult for many individuals. This study specifically aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a higher dose of semaglutide (2.4 mg once-weekly) for chronic weight management in adults living with overweight or obesity.

The study demonstrated that semaglutide 2.4 mg once-weekly led to substantial and sustained weight loss compared to placebo. Participants receiving semaglutide achieved a mean body weight reduction of 14.9% from baseline, significantly greater than the 2.4% observed in the placebo group (p<0.001). A remarkable 83.5% of participants on semaglutide achieved 5% or more weight loss, compared to only 31.1% in the placebo group (p<0.001). Furthermore, 69.2% of the semaglutide group achieved 10% or more weight loss, and 50.5% achieved 15% or more, versus 12.0% and 4.9% in the placebo group, respectively (p<0.001 for all comparisons). The mean reduction in BMI was -5.5 kg/m² with semaglutide versus -0.9 kg/m² with placebo. The most common adverse events were mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal issues (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting), which were transient and led to discontinuation in 4.5% of the semaglutide group versus 2.1% of the placebo group.