‘Gelzempic’ Could Make Popular Weight Loss Drugs Easier to Take

One of the most popular drugs in recent history could someday become less of a hassle to use. In new research presented Saturday, scientists in France have unveiled a novel hydrogel version of semaglutide, the active ingredient in the diabetes and weight loss medications Ozempic and Wegovy. The slow-releasing version should allow people to only need a monthly injection of these drugs, rather than once-a-week as currently required, the scientists say.

The research was conducted by scientists at the France-based biotech company Adocia, as part of the company’s overarching goal to create innovative formulations of existing drugs used for diabetes and obesity. The company has already developed versions of insulin that are being tested in large-scale clinical trials. This gel-based formulation of semaglutide is intended to address one of the known limitations of the drug—its adherence rate.

People taking semaglutide have lost on average 15% of their body weight in clinical trials, a level of success far above the results typically seen with diet and/or exercise alone. So far, it appears to be generally safe and tolerable as well, though people will commonly experience side effects like nausea, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. But in studies examining real-world use, only about 40% of people on the drug stay on it for at least a year. Some of this drop-off might be tied to semaglutide’s dosing schedule, which is once weekly for the injectable versions and once daily for the oral pill version (sold as Rybelsus).

To create their “Gelzepmic,” (formally known as AdoGel® Sema) the Adocia scientists blended together two degradable polymers. The resulting gel is designed to release a limited burst of the drug at first, then a steady release over a month’s time. As with the original formulation, this gel is meant to be injected just underneath the skin.

In both lab tests and lab rats, the gel-based semaglutide appeared to work as hoped, with the drug slowly releasing over time, the researchers found. Importantly, the rats also showed no signs of inflammation, indicating that it was safely tolerated with no added toxicity. The team’s findings were presented this weekend at the annual meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).

“Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist (GLP-1) drugs have transformed type 2 diabetes care, but weekly injections can be burdensome for patients. A single shot a month could make it much easier for people living with diabetes or obesity to stick to their drug regimens, improving quality of life and reducing side effects and diabetes complications,” said lead researcher and Adocia scientist Claire Mégret, in a statement from the EASD.

Mégret and her team next plan to test the gel in pigs—animals whose skin and endocrine systems more closely resemble those of humans. Should these tests prove successful, human trials could feasibly start in the next few years. The company is also working on developing its own oral version of semaglutide as well, with early results suggesting that it should be much easily absorbed by the body than the only currently available oral pill Rybelsus.