The pill version of semaglutide was shown to be effective for weight loss.
A new study finds people taking oral semaglutide, the active ingredient in those medications, had significantly greater weight loss over a nearly 16-month span compared to those taking a placebo pill.
Rybelsus is the pill version of semaglutide - the active ingredient that helps patients lose weight - and is already approved for those with Type 2 diabetes.
Drugs used for diabetes and weight loss like Ozempic and Wegovy were found to be effective for weight loss when taken as a pill, according to research published over the weekend.
A new study published in The Lancet highlighted that a higher dose of the pill also worked for weight loss in those without diabetes. Researchers looked at nearly 700 patients with overweight or obesity for over a year and found that the drug lowered body weight by an average of 15%.
Nearly 70% of those who took the pill achieved a 10% reduction in body weight. Additionally, over three times the number of people taking the drug achieved a 5% reduction, a generally accepted baseline for clinically meaningful weight loss.
Ozempic and Wegovy are typically injected once a week. Researchers noted that a once-daily pill would increase the options for those struggling with obesity.
Although studies were not designed to directly compare, the injectable form of the drug appears more effective than the pills. Both versions of the drug have similar safety profiles but come with a relatively high proportion of patients reporting side effects like nausea and constipation.
"This is not just for cosmetic or vanity's sake. This is to change health risks and outcomes," Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News chief medical correspondent and a board-certified obesity medicine specialist, said on "Good Morning America."
Although studies were not designed to directly compare, the injectable form of the drug appears more effective than the pills. Both versions of the drug have similar safety profiles but come with a relatively high proportion of patients reporting side effects like nausea and constipation.
"This is not just for cosmetic or vanity's sake. This is to change health risks and outcomes," Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News chief medical correspondent and a board-certified obesity medicine specialist, said on "Good Morning America."
"Remember, when you talk about the bad news of these increasing Type 2 diabetes rates, the good news is that Type 2 diabetes is largely reversible and preventable, but that does not mean it's easy to do that," Ashton said.
Those who are overweight or obese are often at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Over 70% of American adults are considered to be overweight or obese, and more than 37 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.