Ozempic has been hailed as a game-changing weight loss wonder drug, but its superpowers seem to extend well beyond treating Type 2 diabetes.
Canadian endocrinologist Daniel J. Drucker — a diabetes treatment pioneer whose work paved the way for Ozempic — is sharing what’s next for this class of drugs that mimic the GLP-1 hormone, making people feel full and eat less. These meds have already shown promise in reducing heart and kidney diseases.
“The initial chapter of GLP-1 innovation focused on [blood sugar] control, and later, weight loss,” Drucker writes in Friday’s issue of Science. “Subsequent waves seem likely to improve health outcomes in people with a range of chronic disorders.”
Calming inflammation
Chronic inflammation — when your immune system is activated long after an injury or threat of illness has passed — has been linked to diabetes, heart disease and cancer, among other serious conditions.
Drucker says GLP-1 drugs indirectly reduce inflammation through weight loss since high blood sugar and excess body fat can cause inflammation.
The medications also activate T cells, a key part of the immune system, independent of weight loss.
Drucker’s team recently discovered a gut-brain-immune network that controls inflammation throughout the body.
“We know from animal studies and human studies that GLP-1 seems to reduce inflammation almost everywhere,” Drucker told Nature in January.
Targeting brain disease
Neuroinflammation — inflammation of the nervous tissue — is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, which are brain disorders characterized by cognitive decline.
About 5.8 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Semaglutide — the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic — is being tested to see if it has a positive effect on early Alzheimer’s disease. Preliminary results could come next year.
As for Parkinson’s disease, Drucker reports a large phase 3 trial of the GLP-1 drug exenatide is underway.
“Several clinical trials have examined the therapeutic potential of exenatide in people with Parkinson’s disease, with mixed results,” Drucker wrote in Science.
About a million Americans have Parkinson’s disease — patients may experience slow movement, tremors, stiffness and difficulty walking.
Boosting mental health
Drucker says several trials are also in the works to determine if GLP-1 medications can ease dependence-related behaviors.
He notes that semaglutide has been tied to a lower risk of suicidal thoughts compared to other weight loss drugs.
He reports that anecdotal reports of Ozempic users drinking less alcohol are common, but trial results are inconclusive.
The drug’s effect on depression and anxiety is being studied as well.
Drucker predicts the next decade of GLP-1 research “may bring even greater progress.”
“Dozens of new molecules are being interrogated in the clinic, with some likely to target new mechanisms and achieve greater benefits in multiple disorders beyond simply more effective [blood sugar] control and weight loss,” he penned.
