One of the most popular drugs of recent years may one day become easier to use: In a new study published Saturday, French scientists unveiled a new hydrogel version of semaglutide, the active ingredient in the diabetes and weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovi. This sustained-release version could allow people to get these drugs as a monthly injection instead of the weekly one currently required, the scientists say.
The study was conducted by scientists at Adocia, a France-based biotechnology company whose overarching goal is to develop innovative formulations of existing drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity. The company has already developed a version of insulin, which is being tested in large-scale clinical trials. This gel-based formulation of semaglutide aims to address one of the drug’s known limitations: adherence.
People taking semaglutide lost an average of 15% of their body weight in clinical trials, a much higher success rate than is typically seen with diet and exercise alone. So far, semaglutide appears to be generally safe and well tolerated, although side effects such as nausea, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms are common. However, the study Studies of real-world use have shown that only about 40% of people taking the drug continue to take it for at least a year, and some of this decline may be related to the dosing schedule of semaglutide: once a week for the injectable form and once daily for the oral form (sold as Rybelsus).
To develop “Gel-Zepmic” (officially known as AdoGel® Sema), Adocia scientists mixed two degradable polymers. The gel is designed to initially release a limited amount of the drug, followed by a steady release over a month. Like the original formulation, the gel is designed to be injected just under the skin.
The researchers found that in both lab tests and rat experiments, the gel-based semaglutide worked as expected, slowly releasing the drug over time. Importantly, the rats showed no signs of inflammation, indicating that it was safely tolerated without added toxicity. The team’s findings were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting this weekend.
“Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP-1) have transformed the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but weekly injections can be burdensome for patients. A once-monthly injection may make it much easier for people with diabetes and obesity to adhere to their medication therapy, potentially improving their quality of life and reducing side effects and diabetic complications,” said Claire Maigret, lead researcher and Adcia scientist. statement From EASD.
Maigret and his team next plan to test the gel on pigs, whose skin and endocrine systems are similar to ours. If that’s successful, human trials could begin in a few years. Oral version Similarly, early results suggest that semaglutide should be much more easily absorbed by the body than Rybelsus, the only oral treatment currently available.
