Amycretin, a new weight-loss treatment developed by Novo Nordisk, is showing significant promise in early trials, with participants losing up to nearly a quarter of their body weight. This experimental medication, which has the potential to transform the field of obesity treatment, works by combining two hunger hormones: amylin, which regulates appetite and promotes a feeling of fullness, and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a hormone commonly found in medications like Ozempic and Wegovy that suppresses appetite and boosts insulin secretion.
According to Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk’s head of development, Amycretin is the first treatment to harness both biological pathways stimulated by amylin and GLP-1 in a single molecule. In a study involving 125 overweight or obese adults, those who received weekly injections of Amycretin lost significantly more weight compared to the placebo group. The highest doses of Amycretin—up to 60 mg—led to a loss of approximately 24.3% of their body weight after 36 weeks, while the placebo group experienced only a 1.1% loss. This dual-hormone approach is particularly notable for its potential to address weight management more effectively than current single-hormone treatments.
Novo Nordisk also presented findings from an earlier phase 1 trial of the oral form of Amycretin, which showed that the medication is both safe and tolerable, with a measurable reduction in body weight compared to placebo. Patients on the pill version experienced a weight loss of roughly 10% with a standard dose and up to 13% when the dose was doubled. The drug’s ability to continue promoting weight loss without hitting a plateau suggests that it could be a valuable long-term treatment option, according to senior clinical pharmacology specialist Agnes Gasoirek.
While these results are encouraging, experts have highlighted the need for further research to ensure that the therapeutic benefits of Amycretin outweigh the potential risks over the long term. The most common side effects of the drug, similar to other GLP-1-based medications, include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. These side effects, which are generally mild to moderate, may be more pronounced with higher doses, according to researchers.
Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding, a specialist in bariatric surgery, emphasized that while these findings are promising, GLP-1-based drugs are not a cure-all for obesity. Obesity, she explained, is a chronic, multifactorial condition that needs a comprehensive, long-term approach. Pharmacological treatments can help manage the condition, but they are most effective when combined with other interventions such as diet and exercise. Novo Nordisk now plans to move forward with phase 3 trials, both for the injectable and oral versions of Amycretin, in order to explore its potential as an effective treatment for obesity management.