A GLP-1 medication might protect against dementia, according to researchers of a phase 2 trial that found liraglutide could slow cognitive decline by 18% after one year of use.
GLP-1s
Up to 30% of GLP-1 medications are acquired by patients through compounding pharmacies instead of the weight loss drugs' manufacturers like Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly, according to KFF Health News.
In recent years, more prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs were written to treat obesity than Type 2 diabetes, adding to accessibility and shortage concerns, according to a study published July 23 in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Whether a GLP-1 medication is approved for diabetes or chronic weight management, declaring one therapy as "best" for weight loss is tricky.
A new study from researchers at Oxford University in England has found that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy, may be tied to a lower risk of cognitive issues, including dementia.
Advertisement
Counterfeit Ozempic presentations, known as "faux-zempic," are on the rise in legal and illegal supply chains, The New York Times reported July 12.
Citing high costs, payers are favoring bariatric surgeries over Wegovy and similar medications, according to an NYU Langone expert. It's unclear if insurers' policies can quell the booming popularity of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, though.
Pfizer's oral GLP-1 drug candidate, danuglipron, has shown promising results that support daily dosing, the company said July 11.
A week after a study connected Ozempic and Wegovy to an eye condition that can cause partial blindness, two ophthalmology organizations said they have "been aware of other vision changes for some time."
Using Mounjaro for one year led to more weight loss than Ozempic did in a study of 18,386 patients, according to the results published July 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine.