Real-World Data Welcomed
Michael Weintraub, MD, an obesity medicine specialist and clinical assistant professor at NYU Langone Health, New York City, said that having real-world data on GLP-1 effectiveness has been much needed.
The researchers “did a really good job at stratifying these patients,” he told this news organization, saying that the study “adds to the literature in terms of what we might expect and what things we should look out for when we want to obtain the maximum degree of weight loss and attain overall better metabolic health for our patients.”
One strength: The researchers were able to capture when someone actually filled a prescription, he said. Clinicians don’t always know whether a prescription for a GLP-1 has been filled because patients might go without the drug because of insurance hurdles or supply issues, he said.
Dr. Weintraub was not surprised that the study showed that both GLP-1s produced more weight loss in those with obesity than in those with T2D, as that has become a common finding. No one has been able to explain why there is such a difference, said Dr. Weintraub. “As a field, we actually don’t know the reason behind that yet,” he said.
Given the small number of patients prescribed semaglutide for obesity, that “limits the generalizability,” he said.
Even so, semaglutide is increasingly proving superior, Dr. Weintraub said. “I would reach towards semaglutide every time either for individuals with type 2 diabetes or individuals with obesity,” he said. “The major limitation, though, is insurance coverage rather than, unfortunately, my clinical decision-making.”
He also still sees a role for liraglutide. It will go off patent soon and that could “lead to a lower price point and hopefully greater access for patients,” he said.
Dr. Gasoyan and Dr. Weintraub reported no relevant financial relationships. One coauthor reported receiving advisory board fees from Novo Nordisk and research funding from Eli Lilly during the conduct of the study.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.