Semaglutide: The Newest Once-Weekly GLP-1 RA for Type 2 Diabetes

To review efficacy and safety of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) semaglutide for type 2 diabetes (T2D).

A literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE and EMBASE using the term semaglutide was completed through April 2018. A search of clinicaltrials.gov was also conducted.

English-language studies assessing the efficacy and/or safety of semaglutide were evaluated.

Semaglutide is a newly approved GLP-1 RA for the treatment of T2D. Administered once weekly at a dose of 0.5 or 1 mg, it has been compared with placebo, sitagliptin, insulin glargine, a combination of oral antidiabetic therapies, and 2 GLP-1 RAs, exenatide ER and dulaglutide, and demonstrated greater efficacy compared with these therapies. Published data from studies ranging from 30 to 104 weeks duration demonstrate efficacy with decreases in hemoglobin A1C (A1C) ranging from 1.1% to 2.2%. Studies show reductions in weight from 1.4 to 6.5 kg. Semaglutide demonstrated a reduction in the composite outcome of cardiovascular (CV) death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke compared with placebo in patients at high risk of CV events (hazard ratio = 0.74; P = 0.02). Common adverse effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea as seen with other GLP-1 RAs. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: Semaglutide represents an attractive GLP-1 RA considering its A1C and weight reduction. It provides patient convenience and high patient satisfaction.

Semaglutide is an appealing option for the treatment of T2D as a once-weekly GLP-1 RA with established glycemic, CV, and weight benefits.