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A new study suggests that liraglutide, the first Glp-1 drug developed to combat diabetes, overweight and obesity, may help protect the brains of people with early Alzheimer’s disease. This supports the need for further research into this class of drugs, which were originally developed for obesity and diabetes, as well as neurological diseases. This is the conclusion of Reuters based on test results presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia.
The randomized phase 2 trial, conducted by researchers at Imperial College London, tested liraglutide (a predecessor to semaglutide) for one year in 204 people with early Alzheimer’s disease: half received a placebo and the other half the drug.
The study did not meet its primary endpoint (changes in a measure of how much sugar the brain uses for energy), but it showed that patients taking the drug experienced nearly 50% less atrophy in the part of the brain that controls memory and learning, and that cognitive function declined slightly more slowly in treated participants.
This is a preliminary study, and more research is needed to see if Glp-1 drugs can really help treat Alzheimer’s. Novo Nordisk is running a larger study giving oral semaglutide to people with mild Alzheimer’s. Results are expected in 2025.
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