Media release
From: The LancetThe Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology: Ecnoglutide, a new medication for weight management, is a safe and effective, trial confirms
Ecnoglutide,a novel type of weight loss medication that may help lower blood sugar by targeting a specific receptor in the body, is a safe and effective treatment option for weight management in individuals with overweight or obesity without diabetes, confirms a phase 3 randomised controlled trial (RCT) published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal. The trial found that those taking ecnoglutide lost between 9% and 13% of their body weight on average, after 40 weeks of treatment, compared to almost no weight change in the placebo group, suggesting ecnoglutide is as safe and effective as other currently approved GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide or tirzepatide.
Ecnoglutide is a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-biased glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that works by primarily activating a singular pathway inside cells—potentially leading to more targeted therapeutic effects (such as improved insulin secretion and reduction in bodyweight). The researchers say it may be more effective than other, similar weight loss medications and is just as safe. While ecnoglutide had shown promise in smaller trials, this is the first phase 3 trial to investigate its efficacy and safety in individuals with overweight or obesity.
The SLIMMER trial involved 664 adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes in China who were randomly assigned to receive a once weekly dose of ecnoglutide (either 1.2, 1.8, or 2.4 mg) or a placebo over 48 weeks. The trial also found that a much higher percentage of people on ecnoglutide lost at least 5% of their body weight compared to those on placebo (77–87% compared to 16%) over 40 weeks of treatment. Ecnoglutide was found to be similarly safe as approved GLP-1 receptor agonists, with the most common side effects being mild to moderate digestive system related issues, like nausea; however, very few people stopped treatment because of side effects.
The authors highlight that those on the higher doses of ecnoglutide continued to experience weight loss up to week 48, indicating that even greater weight loss may be achievable with extended ecnoglutide treatment. They suggest that ecnoglutide may serve as a treatment option for individuals who fail to achieve sufficient weight reduction with existing GLP-1 receptor agonists or need to achieve a more drastic target of body weight reduction.
