Two New GLP -1 Breakthroughs!

Valerie Sutherland, MD
12 minutes ago
2 min read

Just when it seemed things could not get more exciting in weight management pharmacotherapy, we have had not one, but two, new exciting breakthroughs in FDA approved weight management medical treatment options: a new oral medication called orforglipron and a higher dose available in semaglutide injection! Let’s take a closer look at each!

Semaglutide 7.2 mg Injection

This is a new strength now available in semaglutide injection. Previously, the top dose was semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly but it has now been approved at a dose of Semaglutide 7.2 mg once weekly. This increases the average weight loss from approximately 15% to approximately 19-21%! This brings it very nicely positioned in line with the approximate average weight loss of tirzepatide, although they have not been studied “head to head”. So, if you have plateaued in your weight loss on the 2.4 mg dose and it is well tolerated, you may have the option to go to the 7.2 mg dose and see if additional weight loss is experienced. It is important to consider possible side effects, including gastrointestinal symptoms and dysesthesia, which is an abnormal and unpleasant sensation of the skin. The cost of the two strengths is the same. There is not a higher dose approved in the semaglutide tablets.

Orforglipron

Orforglipron is a new breakthrough in GLP 1 scientific advances! It is a new oral medication FDA approved to treat overweight and obesity. Its breakthrough is that it is a non peptide formulation of a GLP 1 receptor agonist. What does that mean? It means it is a smaller molecule that is not made of amino acids. It is 8-10 times smaller than semaglutide and tirzepatide. The significance is that it is absorbed more easily from the stomach and so it can be taken at any time of day without respect to the intake of food or liquids or other medications. Oral GLP 1 medications for weight management that are peptides need to be taken on an empty stomach thirty minutes before anything else. Other important facts about orfoglipron? It shows an average weight loss of approximately 11% and there are a few drug interactions your provider should check for. This medication fills an important niche of a GLP 1 medication that is easy to take! It is not an injection that requires refrigeration and it does not have to be timed with other ingestions! While the average weight loss is lower that other medications, for many, many people, 11% weight loss comfortably achieves incredible health outcomes. Especially with a medication that is so easy to take, let’s treat the disease of overweight and obesity more proactively, at an earlier stage, when there are the most treatment options to get you to health goals!

Finally, science and healthcare is offering multiple options for treatment of excess weight that has incredible health outcomes after a short period of time. Weight loss and the health improvements that come with it begins very quickly with these medications, so reach out today to a healthcare provider trained and educated in this complex disease to discuss your treatment options!

Take Back Your Treatment Options,

Valerie Hope-Slocum Sutherland, MD