Biotech
Wednesday, September 25th, 2024 6:11 pm EDT
Key Points
- A new study indicates that Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Ozempic, containing the active ingredient semaglutide, may significantly reduce the risk of opioid overdoses in patients with both Type 2 diabetes and opioid use disorder, offering a potential alternative treatment amid the U.S. opioid epidemic.
- The research, which analyzed electronic health records of nearly 33,000 patients, found a 58% lower risk of opioid overdose in those prescribed semaglutide compared to other diabetes medications, highlighting the drug’s potential benefits beyond blood sugar regulation and weight loss.
- Experts emphasize the need for further research, including randomized clinical trials, to confirm the effectiveness of semaglutide and other GLP-1 medications in treating opioid use disorder, as the extent of their benefit remains uncertain.
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open has found that Novo Nordisk’s diabetes medication Ozempic, which contains the active ingredient semaglutide, may significantly reduce the risk of opioid overdoses in patients who have both Type 2 diabetes and opioid use disorder. This finding highlights Ozempic’s potential as an alternative treatment option amid the ongoing U.S. opioid crisis, which was declared a public health emergency in 2017. Currently, there are three approved medications for treating opioid use disorder; however, their uptake remains low, with only about 25% of patients receiving these treatments in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many patients discontinue these medications within six months, contributing to the growing crisis where opioids are implicated in approximately 72% of overdose deaths in the U.S.
The study, conducted by researchers from Case Western Reserve University and the National Institutes of Health, analyzed electronic health records of nearly 33,000 patients who were prescribed either semaglutide or other diabetes medications from December 2017 to June 2023. Researchers found that 3,000 patients were prescribed semaglutide, while others received treatments including various insulins and older GLP-1 medications, such as Eli Lilly’s Trulicity and Novo Nordisk’s Victoza. Over a one-year period following their treatment, 42 cases of opioid overdose were reported among the semaglutide group, compared to 97 cases in the other group, indicating a 58% lower risk of opioid overdose among those treated with semaglutide.
Despite these promising findings, the study has limitations, primarily due to its reliance on electronic health records, which may not fully capture all relevant patient data. Dr. Rong Xu, the lead co-author of the study, emphasized the need for further research, particularly randomized clinical trials to better understand the efficacy of semaglutide and other GLP-1 medications in treating opioid use disorder. Dr. Nora Volkow, another co-author and director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, echoed this sentiment, stating that while the preliminary findings are encouraging, the full extent of GLP-1 medications’ benefits in preventing opioid overdoses remains unclear. Future studies are planned to specifically assess semaglutide’s effectiveness in patients with both opioid use disorder and obesity, potentially opening new avenues for treatment in a public health landscape increasingly affected by opioid addiction.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/25/novo-nordisks-ozempic-may-lower-risk-of-opioid-overdoses-study.html
