SEMAGLUTIDE
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used in approved medicines for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management. It works partly by reducing appetite and helping people feel fuller, and has been studied extensively in large human clinical trials.
SEMAGLUTIDE — QUICK SUMMARY
What is Semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a medicine that mimics GLP-1, a hormone released naturally after eating. GLP-1 is involved in appetite, digestion and blood-sugar control, helping signal that food has been eaten and influencing how the body responds to a meal.
One of semaglutide’s most noticeable effects is on appetite. GLP-1 signalling in the brain can reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness, making it easier for some people to eat less. Semaglutide can also slow the movement of food through the stomach and helps the pancreas release insulin when blood glucose is elevated.
Semaglutide has been developed into several prescription medicines. In Australia, Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is approved for chronic weight management in eligible people. The active drug is semaglutide, but the approved uses and treatment regimens differ between products.
Its effects on body weight have been studied in large human trials. In the STEP 1 trial, 1,961 adults with overweight or obesity were followed for 68 weeks. Participants assigned to 2.4 mg semaglutide once weekly lost an average of 14.9% of their starting body weight, compared with 2.4% in the placebo group, alongside lifestyle intervention.
Semaglutide is the active ingredient, not a single brand. Ozempic and Wegovy both contain semaglutide, but they are approved for different primary uses and use different treatment regimens. Evidence or dosing associated with one product should not automatically be assumed to apply identically to the other.
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