ubhuiyan
commented
1 year ago Additional Weight Loss Drugs:
- Lixisenatide (Adlyxin) (daily)
- Liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda) (daily)
- Exenatide (Byetta) (twice daily)
- Exenatide extended release (Bydureon bcise) (weekly)
Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that increases insulin which subsequently decreases blood sugar levels. It is used to treat diabetes and obesity and comes in three different forms:
Ozempic (max of 2 mg/week via injection)
Rybelsus (max of 7-14 mg/day via pill)
Wegovy (max of 2.4 mg/week via injection)
Similar GLP-1 receptor agonists that are prescribed to diabetics include:
Dulaglutide (Trulicity | max of 4.5 mg/0.5mL via injection weekly)
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro | max of 15 mg/0.5mL via injection weekly)
Semaglutide appears to be more commonly prescribed but that may change in the future given the high price point for this medication without insurance (~$1350 per month).
Eli Lilly has a rival drug called Mounjaro that functions similarly to Ozempic, but it is also an analogue of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP). GIP is a hormone that increases the release of insulin from the pancreas and activates both GLP-1 and GIP receptors, which allows for improved blood glucose control.
Safety profiles for all drugs listed are very similar and appear to be prescribed off-label for weight loss in non-diabetic individuals. There shouldn't be much of an issue in getting access to this medication for our study use (or I'd hope). These medications are advised against patients suffering with or are at risk for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (PTC syndrome).