Nejmoa2032183 - STEP 1
Nejmoa2032183 - STEP 1
Nejmoa2032183 - STEP 1
The
journal of medicine
established in 1812 March 18, 2021 vol. 384 no. 11
a bs t r ac t
BACKGROUND
Obesity is a global health challenge with few pharmacologic options. Whether The authors’ affiliations are listed in the
adults with obesity can achieve weight loss with once-weekly semaglutide at a dose Appendix. Address reprint requests to
Dr. Kushner at Northwestern University
of 2.4 mg as an adjunct to lifestyle intervention has not been confirmed. Feinberg School of Medicine, 645 N.
METHODS Michigan Ave., Suite 530, Chicago, IL
60611, or at rkushner@northwestern.edu.
In this double-blind trial, we enrolled 1961 adults with a body-mass index (the
weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) of 30 or greater *A complete list of investigators in the
STEP 1 trial is provided in the Supple-
(≥27 in persons with ≥1 weight-related coexisting condition), who did not have mentary Appendix, available at NEJM.org.
diabetes, and randomly assigned them, in a 2:1 ratio, to 68 weeks of treatment
with once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (at a dose of 2.4 mg) or placebo, plus This article was published on February 10,
2021, at NEJM.org.
lifestyle intervention. The coprimary end points were the percentage change in body
weight and weight reduction of at least 5%. The primary estimand (a precise descrip- N Engl J Med 2021;384:989-1002.
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
tion of the treatment effect reflecting the objective of the clinical trial) assessed Copyright © 2021 Massachusetts Medical Society.
effects regardless of treatment discontinuation or rescue interventions.
RESULTS
The mean change in body weight from baseline to week 68 was −14.9% in the
semaglutide group as compared with −2.4% with placebo, for an estimated treatment
difference of −12.4 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], −13.4 to −11.5;
P<0.001). More participants in the semaglutide group than in the placebo group
achieved weight reductions of 5% or more (1047 participants [86.4%] vs. 182 [31.5%]),
10% or more (838 [69.1%] vs. 69 [12.0%]), and 15% or more (612 [50.5%] vs. 28
[4.9%]) at week 68 (P<0.001 for all three comparisons of odds). The change in body
weight from baseline to week 68 was −15.3 kg in the semaglutide group as com-
pared with −2.6 kg in the placebo group (estimated treatment difference, −12.7 kg;
95% CI, −13.7 to −11.7). Participants who received semaglutide had a greater im-
provement with respect to cardiometabolic risk factors and a greater increase in
participant-reported physical functioning from baseline than those who received
placebo. Nausea and diarrhea were the most common adverse events with sema-
glutide; they were typically transient and mild-to-moderate in severity and subsided
with time. More participants in the semaglutide group than in the placebo group
discontinued treatment owing to gastrointestinal events (59 [4.5%] vs. 5 [0.8%]).
CONCLUSIONS
In participants with overweight or obesity, 2.4 mg of semaglutide once weekly
plus lifestyle intervention was associated with sustained, clinically relevant reduc-
tion in body weight. (Funded by Novo Nordisk; STEP 1 ClinicalTrials.gov number,
NCT03548935).
n engl j med 384;11 nejm.org March 18, 2021 989
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The n e w e ng l a n d j o u r na l of m e dic i n e
O
besity is a chronic disease and ica. The sponsor (Novo Nordisk) designed the trial
global public health challenge.1-3 Obesity and oversaw its conduct. The design has been
can lead to insulin resistance, hyperten- published previously.15 The trial was conducted
sion, and dyslipidemia,4 is associated with com- in accordance with the principles of the Declara-
A Quick Take
plications such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular tion of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practice
is available at disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease,2,5 guidelines. The protocol (available with the full
NEJM.org and reduces life expectancy.6 More recently, obe- text of this article at NEJM.org) was approved by
sity has been linked to increased numbers of hos- an independent ethics committee or institutional
pitalizations, the need for mechanical ventilation, review board at each study site. Investigators were
and death in persons with coronavirus disease responsible for data collection, and the sponsor
2019 (Covid-19).7,8 undertook site monitoring, data collation, and
Although lifestyle intervention (diet and exer- analysis. All authors had full access to study data,
cise) represents the cornerstone of weight man- participated in drafting the manuscript (assisted
agement,1,2 sustaining weight loss over the long by a sponsor-funded medical writer), approved its
term is challenging.9 Clinical guidelines suggest submission for publication, and vouch for the
adjunctive pharmacotherapy, particularly for adults accuracy and completeness of the data and for
with a body-mass index (BMI, the weight in kilo- the fidelity of the trial to the protocol.
grams divided by the square of the height in
meters) of 30 or greater, or 27 or greater in Participants
persons with coexisting conditions.1,2,10 However, We enrolled adults (18 years of age or older) with
the use of available medications remains limited one or more self-reported unsuccessful dietary
by modest efficacy, safety concerns, and cost.3 efforts to lose weight and either a BMI of 30 or
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) greater or a BMI of 27 or greater with one or
analogue that is approved, at doses up to 1 mg more treated or untreated weight-related coexist-
administered subcutaneously once weekly, for the ing conditions (i.e., hypertension, dyslipidemia,
treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults and for re- obstructive sleep apnea, or cardiovascular disease).
ducing the risk of cardiovascular events in per- A subgroup of participants with a BMI of 40 or
sons with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular dis- less underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry
ease.11 Semaglutide induced weight loss in persons (DXA) to assess body composition. All participants
with type 2 diabetes and in adults with obesity provided written informed consent. Key exclu-
who were participants in a phase 2 trial,12-14 sion criteria were diabetes, a glycated hemoglobin
findings that supported further investigation. level of 48 mmol per mole (6.5%) or greater, a
The global phase 3 Semaglutide Treatment Ef- history of chronic pancreatitis, acute pancreatitis
fect in People with Obesity (STEP) program aims within 180 days before enrollment, previous sur-
to evaluate the efficacy and safety of semaglu- gical obesity treatment, and use of antiobesity
tide administered subcutaneously at a dose of medication within 90 days before enrollment. A
2.4 mg once weekly in persons with overweight full list of the eligibility criteria is provided in the
or obesity, with or without weight-related com- Supplementary Appendix, available at NEJM.org.
plications.15
This 68-week trial evaluated the efficacy and Procedures
safety of semaglutide as compared with placebo Participants were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ra-
as an adjunct to lifestyle intervention for reducing
tio, through the use of an interactive Web-based
body weight and meeting other related end points response system, to receive semaglutide at a
in adults with overweight or obesity and without dose of 2.4 mg administered subcutaneously
diabetes. once a week for 68 weeks or matching placebo,
in addition to lifestyle intervention; this 68-week
period was followed by a 7-week period without
Me thods
receipt of semaglutide or placebo or lifestyle
Trial Design and Oversight intervention. Semaglutide, administered with a
We conducted a randomized, double-blind, pla- prefilled pen injector, was initiated at a dose of
cebo-controlled trial at 129 sites in 16 countries 0.25 mg once weekly for the first 4 weeks, with
in Asia, Europe, North America, and South Amer- the dose increased every 4 weeks to reach the
Semaglutide Placebo
Characteristic (N = 1306) (N = 655)
Age — yr 46±13 47±12
Female sex — no. (%) 955 (73.1) 498 (76.0)
Race or ethnic group — no. (%)†
White 973 (74.5) 499 (76.2)
Asian 181 (13.9) 80 (12.2)
Black or African American 72 (5.5) 39 (6.0)
Other 80 (6.1) 37 (5.6)
Hispanic or Latino ethnic group — no. (%)† 150 (11.5) 86 (13.1)
Body weight — kg 105.4±22.1 105.2±21.5
Body-mass index‡
Mean 37.8±6.7 38.0±6.5
Distribution — no. (%)
<30 81 (6.2) 36 (5.5)
≥30 to <35 436 (33.4) 207 (31.6)
≥35 to <40 406 (31.1) 208 (31.8)
≥40 383 (29.3) 204 (31.1)
Waist circumference — cm 114.6±14.8 114.8±14.4
Glycated hemoglobin — % 5.7±0.3 5.7±0.3
Prediabetes — no. (%)§ 593 (45.4) 263 (40.2)
Blood pressure — mm Hg
Systolic 126±14 127±14
Diastolic 80±10 80±10
Pulse — beats/min 72±10 72±10
Lipid levels — geometric mean mg/dl (coefficient of variation)¶
Total cholesterol 189.6 (20.5) 192.1 (19.4)
HDL cholesterol 49.4 (25.6) 49.5 (25.0)
LDL cholesterol 110.3 (31.6) 112.5 (29.8)
VLDL cholesterol 24.5 (45.8) 24.9 (46.5)
Free fatty acids 12.3 (57.9) 12.7 (53.8)
Triglycerides 126.2 (47.4) 127.9 (49.0)
Estimated glomerular filtration rate — geometric mean 96.3 (18.7) 95.9 (18.3)
ml/min/1.73 m2 (coefficient of variation)∥
Coexisting conditions at the time of screening**
Dyslipidemia — no. (%) 499 (38.2) 226 (34.5)
Hypertension — no. (%) 472 (36.1) 234 (35.7)
Knee osteoarthritis — no. (%) 173 (13.2) 102 (15.6)
Obstructive sleep apnea — no. (%) 159 (12.2) 71 (10.8)
Asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — no. (%) 147 (11.3) 80 (12.2)
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease — no. (%) 101 (7.7) 62 (9.5)
Polycystic ovarian syndrome — no./total no. (%)†† 62/955 (6.5) 34/498 (6.8)
Coronary artery disease — no. (%) 32 (2.5) 17 (2.6)
Table 1. (Continued.)
Semaglutide Placebo
Characteristic (N = 1306) (N = 655)
No. of coexisting conditions at screening – no. (%)**
None 328 (25.1) 163 (24.9)
1 337 (25.8) 187 (28.5)
2 298 (22.8) 135 (20.6)
3 183 (14.0) 96 (14.7)
4 96 (7.4) 43 (6.6)
≥5 64 (4.9) 31 (4.7)
SF-36‡‡
Physical functioning score 51.0±6.9 50.8±7.9
Physical component summary score 51.1±7.3 51.1±7.9
Mental component summary score 55.4±5.7 55.5±5.9
IWQOL-Lite-CT§§
Physical function score 65.4±24.0 64.0±24.4
Total score 63.6±21.2 63.3±20.9
* Plus–minus values are means ±SD. HDL denotes high-density lipoprotein, LDL low-density lipoprotein, and VLDL
very-low-density lipoprotein.
† Race and ethnic group were reported by the investigator. The category of “other” includes Native American, Hawaiian
or other Pacific Islander, any other ethnic group, and “not applicable,” the last of which is the way race or ethnic
group was recorded in France.
‡ The body-mass index is the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.
§ The presence of prediabetes was determined by investigators on the basis of available information (e.g., medical re-
cords, concomitant medication, and blood glucose variables) and in accordance with American Diabetes Association
criteria.17
¶ Baseline lipid levels were reported for 1281 to 1301 participants per variable in the semaglutide group, and 645 to
649 participants per variable in the placebo group. The coefficient of variation is expressed as a percentage.
∥ The coefficient of variation is expressed as a percentage.
** A coexisting condition was a history of any of the following conditions, as reported at screening: dyslipidemia, hy-
pertension, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, impaired glucose metabolism,
reproductive system disorders, liver disease, kidney disease, osteoarthritis, gout, or asthma or chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease.
†† Data on polycystic ovarian syndrome include only female participants.
‡‡ Scores on the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) are norm-based, transformed to a scale on which the 2009
general population of the United States has a mean score of 50 and a standard deviation of 10; higher scores indicate
better quality of life. Baseline scores are reported for 1296 participants in the semaglutide group and 650 participants
in the placebo group.
§§ Baseline scores on the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life–Lite Clinical Trials Version (IWQOL-Lite-CT; scores range
from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better patient functioning) are reported for 1296 participants in the
semaglutide group and 649 participants in the placebo group.
−18
0 4 8 12 16 20 28 36 44 52 60 68
Weeks since Randomization
No. at Risk
Placebo 655 649 641 619 615 603 592 571 554 549 540 577
Semaglutide 1306 1290 1281 1262 1252 1248 1232 1228 1207 1203 1190 1212
−4
−6
−8
−10
−12
−14
−16
Semaglutide
−18
0 4 8 12 16 20 28 36 44 52 60 68
Weeks since Randomization
No. at Risk
Placebo 655 647 637 613 607 593 576 555 529 520 514 499
Semaglutide 1306 1283 1259 1225 1206 1193 1176 1166 1135 1115 1100 1059
80 80 74.8
69.1
Participants (%)
Participants (%)
60 60 54.8
50.5
40 40 33.1 34.8
31.5 32.0
20 20
12.0 11.8
4.9 5.0
1.7 2.0
0 0
≥5 ≥10 ≥15 ≥20 ≥5 ≥10 ≥15 ≥20
ference, −12.4 percentage points; 95% CI, −13.4 es were −16.9% and −2.4% (estimated treatment
to −11.5; P<0.001). For the trial product esti- difference, −14.4 percentage points; 95% CI,
mand (showing the effect if the drug or placebo −15.3 to −13.5).
was taken as intended), the corresponding chang- Participants who received semaglutide were
Difference between
Semaglutide Placebo Semaglutide and Placebo
End Point (N = 1306) (N = 655) (95% CI)† Odds Ratio P Value
Coprimary end points assessed in the overall population
Percent body-weight change from baseline to wk 68 –14.85 –2.41 −12.44 (–13.37 to –11.51) <0.001
Participants with body-weight reduction ≥5% at wk 68 — %‡ 86.4 31.5 11.2 (8.9 to 14.2) <0.001
Confirmatory secondary end points assessed in the overall population
Participants with body-weight reduction ≥10% at wk 68 — %‡ 69.1 12.0 14.7 (11.1 to 19.4) <0.001
Participants with body-weight reduction ≥15% at wk 68 — %‡ 50.5 4.9 19.3 (12.9 to 28.8) <0.001
The
nejm.org
Body weight — kg –15.3 –2.6 –12.7 (–13.7 to –11.7)
n e w e ng l a n d j o u r na l
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C-reactive protein, ratio of wk-68 value to baseline¶ 0.47 0.85 0.56 (0.51 to 0.61)
Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity
‡ Denominators for the percentages of participants observed to have body-weight reduction of ≥5%, ≥10%, ≥15%, and ≥20% at week 68 are the numbers of participants for whom data
assessed treatment effect assuming all participants adhered to treatment and did not receive rescue intervention). Continuous end-point analyses were conducted with the use of the
analysis-of-covariance method, with randomized treatment as a factor and baseline end-point value as a covariate and a multiple imputation approach for missing data.15 Analyses of
* The treatment policy estimand assesses treatment effect regardless of treatment discontinuation or rescue intervention; see Table S2 for corresponding data for the estimand (which
† The difference is the estimated difference between the groups except in the case of lipid and C-reactive protein levels, for which the comparison is the ratio of values for semaglutide
mass relative to total body mass increased with
P Value
semaglutide.
§ Supportive secondary and exploratory end point analyses were not adjusted for multiplicity, and P values are therefore not reported for these end points.
∥ The exploratory end point in the prediabetes subpopulation was assessed in 593 participants in the semaglutide group and in 263 in the placebo group.
vomiting, and constipation) were the most fre-
quently reported events and occurred in more
participants receiving semaglutide than those
receiving placebo (74.2% vs. 47.9%). Most gastro-
Semaglutide and Placebo
–0.17
47.8
** The percentage-point change in glycated hemoglobin was not a prespecified end point.
84.1
(Table 3).
Gallbladder-related disorders (mostly choleli-
Exploratory end-point assessed in the prediabetes subpopulation§∥
Discussion
End Point
Semaglutide Placebo
Adverse Event (N = 1306) (N = 655)
* Adverse events are shown for the safety analysis population (all randomly assigned participants exposed to at least one dose of trial drug or
placebo); since all participants received at least one dose of drug or placebo, the safety population is the same as the full-analysis population.
Included are all adverse events that occurred during the on-treatment period (i.e., the period during which any dose of semaglutide or pla-
cebo was administered within the previous 49 days, with any period of temporary interruption of a regimen excluded), unless indicated oth-
erwise. Adverse events were classified by severity as mild (causing minimal discomfort and not interfering with everyday activities), moderate
(causing sufficient discomfort to interfere with normal everyday activities), or severe (preventing normal everyday activities).
† Included are events that were observed during the in-trial period (the time from random assignment to last contact with a trial site, re-
gardless of treatment discontinuation or rescue intervention).
‡ In the semaglutide group, sudden cardiac death occurred in one participant with a medical history of hypertension and obstructive sleep
apnea who had discontinued semaglutide. In the placebo group, death due to glioblastoma, aspiration pneumonia, and severe sepsis oc-
curred in one participant each who had discontinued placebo.
§ Shown are the most common adverse events, according to the preferred term in the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities
(MedDRA), version 22.1, reported in 10% or more of participants in either treatment group.
¶ On the basis of therapeutic experience with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and regulatory feedback and requirements, a num-
ber of safety focus areas were prespecified as being of special interest in the safety evaluation. Identified through searches of MedDRA,
these preferred terms were judged to be relevant for each of the safety focus areas.
∥ This is a system organ class. (For gallbladder-related disorders, hepatobiliary disorders is the system organ class and cholelithiasis is the
preferred term.)
** Acute pancreatitis was confirmed by the event adjudication committee.
a mean weight loss of 14.9% from baseline with with type 2 diabetes.33 The weight loss and im-
semaglutide as an adjunct to lifestyle interven- provements with respect to cardiometabolic risk
tion. This loss exceeded that with placebo plus factors with semaglutide reported here will be
lifestyle intervention by 12.4 percentage points. complemented by an ongoing cardiovascular
The 14.9% mean weight loss that we observed in outcomes trial in participants with overweight
the semaglutide group is substantially greater or obesity and established cardiovascular disease
than the weight loss of 4.0 to 10.9% from base- (the SELECT trial; ClinicalTrials.gov number,
line with approved antiobesity medications.3,19 NCT03574597).
Moreover, 86% of participants who received Liraglutide administered subcutaneously once
semaglutide, as compared with 32% of those who daily is the only GLP-1 receptor agonist approved
received placebo, lost 5% or more of baseline for weight management.3,19,34 Our trial showed
body weight, a widely used criterion of clinically greater mean placebo-corrected weight reductions
meaningful response.2,3,20,21 Weight loss with sema- with once-weekly 2.4-mg semaglutide plus life-
glutide stems from a reduction in energy intake style intervention (12.4%) than those reported with
owing to decreased appetite, which is thought to once-daily 3.0-mg liraglutide plus lifestyle in-
result from direct and indirect effects on the tervention in the 56-week SCALE (Satiety and
brain.22-25 Weight loss with semaglutide was ac- Clinical Adiposity — Liraglutide Evidence in Non-
companied by greater improvements than placebo diabetic and Diabetic Individuals Obesity and Pre-
with respect to cardiometabolic risk factors, in- diabetes) trial (4.5%).34,35 In addition, the weight-
cluding reductions in waist circumference, blood loss phase with semaglutide persisted longer than
pressure, glycated hemoglobin levels, and lipid that reported with liraglutide35 and did not reach
levels; a greater decrease from baseline in C-reac- the nadir until week 60. However, these two stud-
tive protein, a marker of inflammation; and a ies differed in their participant population, which
greater proportion of participants with normo- limits the robustness of between-study com-
glycemia. Semaglutide also improved physical parisons.
functioning, as assessed by SF-36 and IWQOL- At week 68, 31% of participants who received
Lite-CT, a finding that is notable given that over- placebo had lost at least 5% of baseline body
weight and obesity significantly impair health- weight, with 12% and 5% having achieved reduc-
related quality of life.26 Statistical superiority of tions of at least 10% and at least 15%, respectively,
semaglutide over placebo was achieved for all findings that show good adherence to lifestyle
end points in the hierarchical testing procedure. interventions. Similar results were observed at
Weight loss of 10 to 15% (or more) is recom- week 56 in the SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes
mended in people with many complications of trial.35
overweight and obesity (e.g., prediabetes, hyper- Currently, approved antiobesity drugs require
tension, and obstructive sleep apnea).1,20,21,27 In administration once, twice, or three times daily,3,19
the semaglutide group, approximately 70% of and a once-weekly regimen may improve treat-
participants achieved a weight loss of at least 10%, ment adherence. The once-weekly 2.4-mg dose of
and approximately 50% achieved a weight loss of semaglutide was chosen for the present study on
at least 15%. Furthermore, one third of partici- the basis of pharmacokinetic modeling that sug-
pants treated with semaglutide lost at least 20% gested that the 2.4-mg weekly dose had a maxi-
of baseline weight, a reduction approaching that mum steady-state concentration similar to a
reported 1 to 3 years after bariatric surgery, par- once-daily 0.4-mg dose investigated in a phase
ticularly sleeve gastrectomy (approximately 20 to 2 dose-finding trial in participants with obesi-
30% weight loss).28-31 The magnitude of reduc- ty.14 The results of our study with once-weekly
tion in cardiometabolic risk is assumed to be pro- semaglutide at a 2.4-mg dose are consistent with
portional to the amount of weight lost with both the results of the phase 2 study, which showed
approaches (i.e., pharmacotherapy or surgery).32 an 11.6% greater reduction in body weight with
Analyses from the DXA substudy suggested once-daily semaglutide at a dose of 0.4 mg than
that semaglutide led to greater reduction in fat with placebo after 52 weeks of treatment.14
mass than lean body mass, a finding consistent The safety of semaglutide was consistent with
with previous findings with semaglutide (at a dose that reported in the phase 2 study with once-
of 1.0 mg) in persons with obesity22 and in those daily dosing in participants with obesity14 and in
the trials of once-weekly subcutaneous semaglu- fees, and fees for serving as an investigator, all paid to Univer-
sity of Liverpool, and lecture fees from Novo Nordisk, and advi-
tide in persons with type 2 diabetes (involving sory board fees from Takeda Medical Research Foundation; Dr.
more than 8000 participants receiving doses up Batterham, receiving consulting fees from Boehringer Ingel-
to 1 mg),12 as well as with that reported for the heim, Pfizer, and ViiV Healthcare and consulting fees and lec-
ture fees from Novo Nordisk; Dr. Calanna, being employed by
GLP-1 receptor agonist class in general.13,36 As is Novo Nordisk; Dr. Davies, receiving grant support from Astra-
typical of this drug class,13,37 transient, mild-to- Zeneca, lecture fees from AstraZeneca Pharma India, advisory
moderate gastrointestinal disorders were the most board fees from BI-LLY Alliance, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, and
Sanofi, advisory board fees and lecture fees from Boehringer
frequently reported adverse events, and more par- Ingelheim and Eli Lilly, lecture fees from Boehringer Ingelheim
ticipants in the semaglutide group than in the (China), Boehringer Ingelheim (Philippines), Boehringer Ingel-
placebo group discontinued the assigned regimen heim Saudi Arabia Trading, Boehringer Ingelheim (Poland),
Napp Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi Romania, and Sanofi (Japan),
after such events. Nausea was the most common advisory board fees and lecture fees from Boehringer Ingelheim
gastrointestinal event, occurring primarily during International, and grant support, lecture fees, and advisory
the dose-escalation period, a finding similar to board fees from Novo Nordisk; Dr. Van Gaal, receiving lecture
fees from AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim and advisory
that reported with liraglutide at a dose of 3.0 mg.35 board fees and lecture fees from Merck and Novo Nordisk; Dr.
Gallbladder-related disorders, principally chole- Lingvay, receiving advisory board fees and consulting fees from
lithiasis, were more common in the semaglutide AstraZeneca, consulting fees from Bayer HealthCare Pharma-
ceuticals, Eli Lilly, Intarcia, Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Janssen
group, a finding consistent with previous re- Global Services, MannKind, Target Pharma, Valeritas, and Zealand
ports for GLP-1 receptor agonists38,39 and with Pharma, advisory board fees from Boehringer Ingelheim and
the known effects of rapid weight loss.40,41 The Sanofi US Services, grant support, paid to UT Southwestern,
from Merck, grant support, paid to his institution, from Mylan
incidence of cholelithiasis with semaglutide was Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer, and grant support, paid to UT South-
in line with that of liraglutide at a dose of 3.0 mg.35 western, advisory board fees, consulting fees, and travel support
No new safety concerns arose. from Novo Nordisk; Dr. McGowan, receiving educational fees
from AstraZeneca, Merck, and Orexigen Therapeutics, lecture
Strengths of this trial included the large sam- fees from Janssen Biotech, advisory board fees from Johnson &
ple size and high rates of adherence to the treat- Johnson Health Care Systems, grant support, paid to Guys and
ment regimen and completion of the trial. Limi- St. Thomas’ Hospital, consulting fees, and educational fees
from Novo Nordisk, and owning stock in Reset Health Clinics;
tations included the preponderance of women Dr. Rosenstock, receiving grant support, advisory board fees, and
and White participants, the relatively short dura- travel support from Applied Therapeutics, Intarcia, and Oramed,
tion of the trial, the exclusion of persons with grant support and consulting fees from AstraZeneca, grant sup-
port, advisory board fees, lecture fees, and travel support from
type 2 diabetes, and the potential that partici- Boehringer Ingelheim, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi US Services,
pants who were enrolled may represent a sub- grant support and advisory board fees from Eli Lilly, grant sup-
group with greater commitment to weight-loss port from Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen Biotech, Lexicon
Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Pfizer, and REMD Biotherapeutics,
efforts than the general population. Although and advisory board fees from Zealand Pharma; Dr. Tran, being
the DXA data we report provide greater insight employed by and owning stock in Novo Nordisk; Dr. Wadden,
into the weight-loss effects of semaglutide, such receiving grant support, paid to the University of Pennsylvania,
and advisory board fees from Novo Nordisk and advisory board
assessments were performed in only a subpopu- fees from WW International; Dr. Wharton, receiving lecture fees
lation of participants. from AstraZeneca and Bausch and Lomb and grant support,
Our trial showed that among adults with lecture fees, and advisory board fees from Novo Nordisk; Dr.
Yokote, receiving lecture fees from Amgen, Janssen Pharmaceu-
overweight or obesity (without diabetes), once- ticals, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Novartis Pharma, and Sanofi, grant
weekly subcutaneous semaglutide plus lifestyle support and lecture fees from Astellas Pharma, Daiichi Sankyo,
intervention was associated with substantial, Eli Lilly Japan, Merck Sharp and Dohme, Mitsubishi Tanabe
Pharma, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim, Novo Nordisk, Ono
sustained, clinically relevant mean weight loss of Pharmaceutical, Pfizer, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, Taisho
14.9%, with 86% of participants attaining at Toyama Pharmaceutical, and Takeda Pharmaceutical, advisory
least 5% weight loss. board fees and lecture fees from AstraZeneca, grant support,
lecture fees, and advisory board fees from Kowa Company and
Supported by Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk, and lecture fees and advisory board fees from
Dr. Wilding reports receiving advisory board fees, paid to his Sanofi; Mr. Zeuthen, being employed by and owning stock in
institution, from Astellas Pharma, grant support and fees for Novo Nordisk; and Dr. Kushner, receiving advisory board fees
membership on a data and safety monitoring board, both paid from Novo Nordisk and Weight Watchers. No other potential
to University of Liverpool, lecture fees, and travel support from conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
AstraZeneca, advisory board fees, paid to his institution, and Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with
lecture fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Napp, and Sanofi Pas- the full text of this article at NEJM.org.
teur, advisory board fees, paid to his institution, from Eli Lilly, A data sharing statement provided by the authors is available
Janssen Global Services, Rhythm, and Wilmington Healthcare, with the full text of this article at NEJM.org.
lecture fees from Mundipharma, grant support, advisory board We thank the trial participants and the trial site staff; Lisa
von Huth Smith of Novo Nordisk, Denmark, for support with Axis, a division of Spirit Medical Communications Group, for
data presentation of participant-reported outcomes and critical medical writing and editorial assistance with an earlier draft of
review of an earlier draft of the manuscript; and Paul Barlass of the manuscript (funded by Novo Nordisk).
Appendix
The authors’ affiliations are as follows: the Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, Institute of Life Course and Medical
Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool (J.P.H.W.), University College London Centre for Obesity Research, Division of Medicine,
University College London (R.L.B.), the National Institute of Health Research, UCLH Biomedical Research Centre (R.L.B.), the Centre
for Weight Management and Metabolic Surgery, University College London Hospital (R.L.B.), and the Department of Diabetes and
Endocrinology, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (B.M.M.), London, and the Diabetes Research Centre, University of
Leicester (M.D.) and the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (M.D.), Leicester — all in the United Kingdom; Novo Nordisk,
Søborg, Denmark (S.C., M.T.D.T., N.Z.); the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Metabolism, Antwerp University Hospital,
University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium (L.F.V.G.); the Departments of Internal Medicine/Endocrinology and Population and Data
Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (I.L.), and the Dallas Diabetes Research Center at Medical City (J.R.) — both
in Dallas; the Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (T.A.W.); York Univer-
sity, McMaster University and Wharton Weight Management Clinic, Toronto (S.W.); the Department of Endocrinology, Hematology,
and Gerontology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University and Department of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Chiba
University Hospital, Chiba, Japan (K.Y.); and the Division of Endocrinology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University,
Chicago (R.F.K.).
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