Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 Drug Liraglutide Shows Significant BMI Reduction in Phase 3 Trial for Pediatric Obesity, Published in The New England Journal of Medicine

Sep 12, 2024 07:44 CST Updated 07:45

Novo Nordisk

Insulin Developer and Manufacturer

▎WuXiEdited by Kant Content Team

Recently, in a latest study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a drug developed by Novo NordiskGlucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Receptor Agonist LiraglutidePositive results obtained in a Phase 3a clinical trial for the treatment of obese children aged 6-12.BMI Decreased by 5.8% from Baseline at Week 56 in Treated Pediatric Patients with Obesity

The article states that currently, there are no drugs approved for treating common pediatric obesity in children under 12 (whose obesity is not caused by genetic mutations or other syndromes). Although liraglutide can lead to weight loss in adults and adolescents with obesity, its safety and efficacy in children have not yet been confirmed.

In this Phase 3a clinical trial, obese children aged 6-12 were randomly assigned to receive either liraglutide or placebo, in addition to lifestyle intervention. Participants underwent 56 weeks of treatment, followed by a 26-week follow-up period after discontinuation. The primary clinical endpoint was BMI, with secondary endpoints including the percentage change in body weight and the proportion of participants achieving at least a 5% reduction in BMI.

The test results showed,At week 56, participants in the liraglutide group had a 5.8% reduction in BMI, while those in the placebo group had a 1.6% increase in BMI. The liraglutide group experienced a 7.4% greater reduction in BMI compared to the placebo group (95% CI: -11.6, -3.2, p<0.001).

Meanwhile, the average weight increase in the liraglutide group was 1.6%, compared to 10.0% in the placebo group. In the liraglutide group, 46% of participants experienced a BMI reduction of at least 5%, compared to 9% in the placebo group.In terms of safety, gastrointestinal adverse events were more common in the liraglutide group (80% vs 54%).

Novo Nordisk is also conducting clinical trials to evaluate the effects of the weight-loss therapy Wegovy (semaglutide) in children, while Eli Lilly and Company is assessing the efficacy of Zepbound (tirzepatide) in a similar population.

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References:

[1] Fox et al., (2024). Liraglutide for Children 6 to <12 Years of Age with Obesity — A Randomized Trial. The New England Journal of Medicine, Doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2407379

[2] Weight-loss drug Saxenda effective for kids as young as 6, study shows. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://nz.news.yahoo.com/weight-loss-drug-saxenda-effective-220244294.html

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