Launched on November 14, 2024 to celebrate World Diabetes Day, this episode tackles a flurry of recent news and updates related to semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy/Rybelsus), including Novo Nordisk declaring an end to the shortage of the drug, which began in early 2022.

In the episode, hosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and codirector of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, program director of Diabetes Technology at University Hospitals Diabetes and Metabolic Care Center, discuss the latest developments in GLP-1 receptor agonists, with a particular focus on semaglutide.

They begin by examining topline results from the SOUL trial, which demonstrated a 14% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events with oral semaglutide (Rybelsus) in patients with established cardiovascular disease. According to hosts, this finding may expand options for patients who prefer oral medications over injections, although they emphasize proper administration techniques to maximize efficacy.

The conversation then turns to new data presented at Obesity Week, showcasing oral semaglutide’s effectiveness in weight loss for higher doses—25 and 50 mg—demonstrating 14% weight loss at 25 mg. They also highlight semaglutide’s impact in specific comorbidities in recent trials, with use eliciting a significant reduction in osteoarthritis pain and potential benefits for kidney disease, even in patients without diabetes.

Isaacs and Bellini discuss the SELECT trial results, where semaglutide showed a reduced rate of hospitalizations and adverse events, suggesting an anti-inflammatory benefit that could further support its use in managing obesity and type 2 diabetes. The episode concludes with a call to payers to support wider coverage, given the compelling data on reduced hospitalization and improved patient outcomes.