A new drug that was originally prescribed to diabetes patients might promise weight loss, a new study finds. Still, there are some side effects.
In February 2015, the drug Liraglutide was approved to treat obesity in Canada. The injectable drug is marketed under the name Saxenda. It works by reducing the patient’s appetite, making them eat less.
When the drug was approved, the drug manufacturer was instructed to continue safety testing. A study funded by the company, Novo Nordisk, was published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine. It found that participants on the drug did in fact lose weight, but that small percentage of them did complain about side effects.
Researchers worked with about 3,700 participants who had a body mass index of 30 or more. The large-scale study was conducted in 27 countries between 2011 and 2013. The participants were divided into two groups: one got the drug and one got the placebo. All the participants received lifestyle intervention counselling to help them lead healthier lives.
After 56 weeks, 63 per cent of those on the drug had lost at least five per cent of their body weight. About 33 per cent of participants lost more than 10 per cent of their body weight. While those on the placebo did lose weight, it wasn’t as significant. Overall, 92 per cent of those on the drug lost weight, while only 65 per cent on the placebo lost weight.
Still participants complained about side effects. About 10 per cent of those on the drug left the study because of those adverse effects. The main side effects were nausea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal issues. Less common side effects were inflammation of the pancreas and gallbladder disease.
Dr. Marla Shapiro told CTV that the results were “a big deal”, particularly when compared to results and side effects of other weight loss drugs on the market. Still, she said that participants did start gaining some of the weight back once they stopped taking the drug. “It may be that this, in fact, becomes a lifelong medication,” she said.
Shapiro stressed that lifestyle changes are still very important no matter how effective the drug. She said that the drug is already available for doctors to prescribe to patients who meet the required criteria but that the company will likely continue to research the side effects of the drug..
The full method and results of the study were published on Thursday, July 2 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
