Ozempic-like weight loss drugs may protect against Alzheimer's
A weight loss drug similar to Ozempic appeared to slow cognitive decline in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research.
A weight loss drug similar to Ozempic appeared to slow cognitive decline in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease, new research presented Tuesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia finds.
The findings, which have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, add to the growing evidence that GLP-1 agonists — a class of medications that includes the popular diabetes and weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, from Novo Nordisk, and Mounjaro and Zepbound, from Eli Lilly — may also protect the brain.
“What we’ve shown is that these GLP-1s have great potential to be a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Paul Edison, a professor of neuroscience at Imperial College London who presented the findings Tuesday. “As a class of drugs, this holds great promise.”
Early evidence has hinted at GLP-1 drugs’ brain-boosting potential. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, has been shown in studies to cut the risk of dementia in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for the disease.
Novo Nordisk is running two phase 3 clinical trials that will compare semaglutide to a placebo in more than 3,000 patients with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The trial results are expected to be released sometime in 2025. In a statement, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson said there is “an urgent need for treatments that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.”
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