Glucagon and GLP-1 receptor dual agonist survodutide for obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding phase 2 trial
Le Roux CW, Steen O, Lucas KJ, Startseva E, Unseld A, Hennige AM. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2024;12(3):162–173. View source ↗
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dose-finding Phase 2 trial enrolled 387 adults with body mass index ≥27 without type 2 diabetes. Participants were assigned to once-weekly subcutaneous survodutide (target maintenance doses 0.6, 2.4, 3.6, or 4.8 mg) or placebo for 46 weeks following a titration period. Mean percentage body-weight reduction at week 46 was up to -14.9% across active arms versus -2.8% with placebo, with completers in the 4.8 mg arm achieving a mean reduction of -18.7%. Secondary endpoints — including the proportion achieving ≥5%, ≥10%, and ≥15% weight reduction — favored survodutide. Adverse events were predominantly gastrointestinal and consistent with the incretin pharmacology class profile.
Researchers ran a 46-week study comparing weekly survodutide injections at several doses to placebo in nearly 400 adults with overweight or obesity (without diabetes). Average weight loss reached about 15% on survodutide and roughly 19% in the highest-dose group who completed the trial, compared with about 3% on placebo. Side effects were mainly stomach-related (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), which is typical for this class of molecule.
