New drugs for diabetes could treat host of other issues

Newer drugs within a class originally developed to treat diabetes are now gaining attention as potential treatments for a host of other medical problems, aside from their effects such as significant weight loss.

- Salma Khalik

The most potent among the newer drugs are semaglutide and tirzepatide, both of which can lead to weight loss of about 20 per cent. Semaglutide, developed by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, is sold as Ozempic for the treatment of diabetes and at a higher dosage as Wegovy for obesity. US rival Eli Lilly markets tirzepatide as Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss.

Early research, however, suggests that these glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) drugs may be able to do much more, such as treating dementia, addictions and mental conditions.

In March, Wegovy was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke in adults with cardiovascular disease who are either obese or overweight.

In the same month, Novo Nordisk announced the early termination of its clinical trial for Ozempic - conducted in 28 countries with more than 3,500 participants - because of the very good early outcomes. It said the trial showed a significant 24 per cent reduction in the progression of chronic kidney disease and in cardiovascular and kidney-related deaths for people treated with 1mg of semaglutide compared with those receiving a placebo.

Such a big reduction in the progression of the disease could have a significant impact on the number of people getting kidney failure and requiring a transplant or lifelong dialysis.

“I can now tell my patients it will protect your kidneys,” said Dr Tham Kwang Wei, a senior endocrinologist at Woodlands Health.