Twice-Monthly GLP-1 Shot Helps Manage Blood Sugar, Weight Loss in Trial
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A new biweekly GLP-1 injection has been shown to significantly reduce blood sugar in a clinical trial. Image Credit: Hannes P Albert/picture alliance via Getty Images. A new GLP-1 medication demonstrated efficacy in reducing blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes in a phase 2b clinical trial. Bofanglutide is a biweekly (once every 2 weeks) injection compared to once-weekly shots like Ozempic and Wegovy. The new biweekly GLP-1 also led to weight loss and improvement in cardiometabolic risk factors. GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are groundbreaking treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity. As other drug manufacturers join the GLP-1 race, Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals in Beijing, China, is developing a novel biweekly GLP-1 for weight loss. In a phase 2b randomized clinical trial, bofanglutide demonstrated a strong efficacy in reducing blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. If approved, a biweekly shot could offer an alternative to once-weekly GLP-1 injections for the needle-averse. The results of the trial were published in Annals of Internal Medicine on June 30. Biweekly GLP-1 lowers blood sugar, aids weight loss Bofanglutide is a biweekly (once every 2 weeks) injection, unlike most other GLP-1 medications (i.e., Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro), which are once-weekly shots. The phase 2b clinical trial of bofanglutide included 272 adults with type 2 diabetes, with an average age of 50.8, from 37 sites across China. The participants were divided into five treatment groups: bofanglutide 12 mg (biweekly) bofanglutide 18 mg (biweekly) bofanglutide 24mg (biweekly) bofanglutide 24mg (once weekly) semaglutide 1mg (once weekly) The primary measurement the researchers focused on was HbA1c levels from the baseline to the 24-week follow-up. At the end of 24 weeks, all bofanglutide groups showed significant reductions in blood sugar levels. Participants taking bofanglutide experienced weight loss and improvements in various cardiometabolic risk factors. How does bofanglut