Semaglutide under the skin once weekly. It works by reducing the amount of glucagon produced in your body, which helps lower your blood sugar levels. In addition, it slows down the movement of food through your stomach so that sugar passes more slowly into your bloodstream. Semaglutide may also be used for weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes who are not losing enough with a reduced-calorie diet and exercise.

In the STEP 5 study, participants who received once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4 mg compared to placebo plus lifestyle intervention lost an average of 9.6-17.4% of their initial body weight by week 68, and improved several cardiometabolic indices including waist circumference, blood pressure, and glycated hemoglobin.

Understanding Semaglutide: Uses and Effects

Gastrointestinal side effects were the most common adverse events with semaglutide, occurring during the dose escalation phase of the study and rarely leading to treatment discontinuation. They included nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. Other commonly reported adverse events include vomiting, fatigue, headache, and abdominal pain.

It’s important to tell your doctor if you have a personal or family history of thyroid cancer, especially medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC; a rare form of thyroid cancer) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2, a condition that causes tumors in more than one gland). This medication may increase the risk of developing tumors of the pancreas. It should be used cautiously with other medications that affect blood glucose, such as insulin or sulfonylureas.