A revised version of a popular diabetes drug, given in higher doses to fight obesity, is the first prescription weight loss drug to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration in seven years.
Wegovy is a synthetic version of an intestinal hormone that curbs hunger. Patients inject the drug under their skin once a week.
Dr. Domenica Rubino, director of the Washington Center for Weight Management and Research in Arlington, Virginia, participated in a study that enrolled and monitored two dozen patients.
“It mimics a hormone we have, but in a larger amount, so it actually tells the brain that we’re not that hungry,” said Rubino.
The drug is intended for adults with obesity or a body mass index of 27 or higher who also have at least one weight-related medical condition such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Like other weight loss drugs, it should be used with diet and exercise.
More than half of the study participants lost 15-20 percent of their weight.
“I’ve been in this field for over 20 years and it was the first time we’ve seen such significant weight loss in some people,” said Rubino. “And the reason it really matters is that there are a lot of obesity-related diseases that we need more weight loss … If we look at fatty liver, sleep apnea, PCOS, osteoarthritis, we need more than 15 percent And that’s why everyone is looking forward to the fact that we can help more people in this way. “
It changed my life not only for me but also for my husband because by losing that weight I was able to be a living kidney donor for him.
Marleen Green Leaf
Marleen Greenleaf, 58, of Fort Washington, Maryland, said she had difficulty losing weight and keeping it off for years.
“I did Weight Watchers, I did Jenny Craig, the soup regimen, the smoothie cleansing, the different differences in the keto diet, and nothing really worked,” she said.
She participated in the Wegovy clinical trial and lost 43 pounds over a year.
“It was slow but it was progressive,” she said. “Every time I went in and was weighed, I didn’t lose any weight in a few weeks, but I never gained weight again, which was crucial for me.”
Her weight loss had an added benefit.
“It changed my life, not just for me, but also for my husband because by losing this weight I was able to be a living kidney donor for him,” she said.
Two years after the clinical trial, the married mother of two stopped the medication and says she was able to hold the most weight.
“I’m not showing any signs of diabetes anymore,” she said. “I’m more active. I can get out and do things that I never thought of. “
Greenleaf said it plans to take Wegovy as soon as it hits the market.
The most common Wegovy side effects were gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, and they usually went away on their own.
