GLP-1s: Beyond Weight Loss and Diabetes, What Healthy Returns are Being Tested for

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The number of potential health benefits from a rapidly expanding category of weight loss and diabetes medications continues to increase.

New mid-stage trial data on Tuesday revealed that liraglutide, an older, once-daily GLP-1 for diabetes and obesity, may slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by protecting patients' brains.

A recent study suggests that semaglutide, the active component in Novo Nordisk's weight loss injection Wegovy and diabetes medication Ozempic, may aid individuals in quitting smoking.

GLP-1 treatments mimic gut hormones to suppress appetite and regulate blood sugar, and researchers believe they may also treat other conditions through additional effects on the body, such as reducing inflammation.

To confirm the safety and efficacy of weight loss and diabetes drugs for additional uses, more extensive research and larger trials are required.

In March, the Food and Drug Administration approved Wegovy for reducing the risk of serious heart problems.

The approval of additional weight loss medications could increase the pressure on insurers to cover the treatments, which often cost around $1,000 per month. Lack of consistent insurance coverage for Wegovy and other weight loss treatments has been a significant obstacle for patients.

Here are some of the other conditions that GLP-1s are being tested for:

Cardiovascular health

• In a late-stage trial, Wegovy from Novo Nordisk reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular causes by 20% in patients with obesity and heart disease.
• In a large trial, people with obesity, diabetes, and heart failure experienced fewer cardiovascular symptoms such as fatigue and breathlessness after using Wegovy.
• The company is currently conducting a late-stage trial on tirzepatide, the active ingredient in its weight loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro, for patients with obesity and heart failure. The study is expected to be completed this month.

Chronic kidney disease

• In a late-stage trial, Ozempic, a drug developed by Novo Nordisk, slowed the advancement of chronic kidney disease in diabetes patients, reducing the likelihood of death from that and significant cardiac events by 24%.
• A mid-stage study is being conducted by Eli Lilly on tirzepatide in patients with obesity and chronic kidney disease, with an anticipated conclusion in 2026.

Fatty liver disease

• In a mid-stage trial, 74% of patients who received Eli Lilly's Zepbound became free of the disease with no worsening of liver scarring, compared to 13% of those who did not receive the treatment at 52 weeks.
• A late-stage trial is being conducted by Novo Nordisk to evaluate semaglutide as a treatment for a common type of fatty liver disease.
• In addition to Novo Nordisk, other drugmakers like Zealand Pharma and are also researching their weight loss or diabetes treatments in patients with fatty liver disease.

Sleep apnea

• Zepbound, developed by Eli Lilly, effectively resolved moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in up to 52% of patients in two late-stage trials. The FDA is currently evaluating Zepbound for this use.

Alzheimer's disease

• Alzheimer's disease patients are being studied in two late-stage trials by Novo Nordisk using semaglutide.

Addiction

• GLP-1s are being studied by outside researchers for their potential to reduce addictive behaviors, including nicotine and alcohol use.
• The U.S. government's clinical trials registry indicates that Novo Nordisk is conducting a study with a secondary objective of examining whether semaglutide and other treatments can affect daily alcohol consumption. The primary objective of the mid-stage trial is to evaluate the drugs' effects on liver scarring in patients with alcohol-related liver disease.

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Latest in health-care technology

Heads of Commure, Augmedix share details about new acquisition

AI documentation tools are highly sought after in the health-care sector, as evidenced by the endorsement of Commure and other chief executives.

Commure provides a range of solutions, including an AI scribe and a revenue cycle service, to reduce clinicians' administrative burdens. The company was established in 2017 by Hemant Taneja, the CEO and managing director of General Catalyst.

Augmedix, a separate AI scribing company, has been acquired by Commure as a new addition to its portfolio this month.

Augmedix, established in 2012, was among the first companies to incorporate AI-enabled ambient medical documentation in hospitals and healthcare systems. These tools assist doctors in saving time by converting their patient conversations into clinical notes and summaries using AI technology. Augmedix focuses on implementing the technology in emergency departments.

Augmedix was acquired by Commure in an all-cash deal on July 19. Commure purchased all of Augmedix's outstanding common stock at a total equity value of approximately $139 million. The company's board unanimously approved the deal, and Augmedix shareholders will receive $2.35 per share.

On Monday, CNBC interviewed Commure CEO Tanay Tandon and Augmedix CEO Manny Krakaris to gain insights into the acquisition and its implications for both companies.

Tandon revealed that the initial meeting between the two companies was aimed at exploring partnership opportunities due to their shared status as vendors for HCA Healthcare. However, as discussions progressed, he stated that the organizations recognized the potential for a more comprehensive collaboration.

Although Commure already has an ambient documentation tool, it is specifically designed for ambulatory and outpatient settings, while Augmedix's offering is tailored for acute care settings. The companies have joined forces to reduce the friction that can arise from documenting different aspects of a patient's care.

"Krakaris stated that documentation must cover the entire journey, not just the emergency department departure and hospital admission as an inpatient. Bridging those two worlds requires a significant, time-consuming effort."

Tandon stated that the AI scribe market is experiencing a significant amount of noise, and he anticipates that there will be a division between high-level scribes that automate basic tasks and enterprise-grade scribes that integrate more closely with electronic health records and revenue cycles.

Augmedix acquisition is of interest to Commure, and Krakaris believes that the true worth of the acquisition lies in combining the tools and integrating the back-end technologies under a single platform.

""The value creation lies beneath the surface, like an iceberg, and is not easily visible from the application itself," he stated."

In the near future, Commure and Augmedix will finalize the deal with shareholders and start planning new deployments and presenting the combined solution to customers.

Tandon stated that the companies are still figuring out the specifics of the acquisition's impact on the Augmedix brand, but it will likely be branded as "Augmedix powered by Commure."

By performing the integration and job duties effectively, we will produce a top-notch product that addresses numerous issues in the workplace, including those that arise after the patient leaves.

Read the full release about the deal here.

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