Weight-loss drugs could soon be used to treat other major diseases

By now, it’s been clearly established that GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are highly effective at both helping people lose weight and treating Type 2 diabetes.

But there’s also mounting scientific evidence that GLP-1s can provide benefits for a wide range of other serious medical conditions.

• Heart disease: Earlier this year, the FDA approved Wegovy for treating heart disease in patients who also have obesity. Additionally, Eli Lilly last week published results from a Phase 3 trial in which Mounjaro greatly reduced the risk of heart failure in obese patients.
• Addiction: An NIH-backed study published last year found use of semaglutide (the generic name for Ozempic) was linked to lower binge-like alcohol drinking in mice. Separate research published last month also found evidence semaglutide can potentially help people quit smoking.
• Neurodegenerative diseases: Novo Nordisk is currently conducting a Phase 3 trial to see whether semaglutide has a positive effect on early Alzheimer’s disease. A separate Phase 2 trial published last year found Sanofi’s GLP-1 drug lixisenatide was linked to slower progression of Parkinson’s disease.

Zoom out: In recent years, GLP-1 drug usage has exploded in the US. An estimated 1 in 8 American adults have tried a GLP-1 drug to date, with US demand for prescriptions rising 300% between 2020-2023.

But… The sharp spike in demand has also spawned a growing black market of illegal knock-offs, which are ineffective and/or dangerous for patients.

• Around 42% of online pharmacies selling semaglutide in the US are operating without a valid license and selling medications without prescriptions, making them illegal, according to a study published last week in JAMA Network Open.

📊 Flash poll: Have you personally ever tried a GLP-1 drug? (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, etc.)

• Yes
• No