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Amylin Drugs: A Gentler Path to Weight Loss?
5 Oct
Summary
- New amylin-based drugs offer weight loss with fewer gastrointestinal side effects.
- Petrelintide trial showed 10% average weight loss over 42 weeks.
- Nausea was the most common side effect, affecting 20% of users.
An emerging category of weight-loss medications, known as amylin-based drugs, are demonstrating effectiveness in reducing body weight while exhibiting a lower risk of gastrointestinal side effects compared to existing GLP-1 medications. These weekly injected drugs leverage a hormone naturally secreted during eating to help suppress appetite.
A recent international trial involving the drug petrelintide revealed that participants achieved an average weight loss of 10% over a 42-week period. This outcome, while slightly lower than typical GLP-1 results, is significant due to the improved tolerability. The most frequently reported side effect was nausea, experienced by 20% of petrelintide users, a rate considerably lower than the gastrointestinal issues often associated with GLP-1s.
Researchers are optimistic that these amylin-based therapies, including others like cagrilintide and eloralintide currently in development, could offer a viable option for many individuals seeking substantial weight loss without debilitating side effects. The study, presented on Wednesday and published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, was funded by Zealand Pharma, the maker of petrelintide.
