A novel oral formulation of a glucagonlike peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist has shown "robust" dose-dependent glucose lowering and weight reductions in patients with early type 2 diabetes in a phase 2 study. First-time data for the investigational oral formulation of semaglutide were presented here at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, ENDO 2016, by MD of Diabetes and Endocrine Center and clinical professor of medicine in Texas. Currently, GLP-1 agonists are available only as injectables, either once daily or once weekly.
Semaglutide is a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist that is also being developed as a once-weekly injectable. The oral version is coformulated with the absorption enhancer salcaprozate sodium, which causes a localized increase in pH, leading to higher solubility and protection from degradation, the MD explained. If the data pan out and it is approved for marketing,…
