GLP-1 Weight Loss: New Drug Results
- A new study reveals that ecnoglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, is effective for weight loss in adults struggling with overweight or obesity.
- Dr.Linong ji, from peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China, highlighted that ecnoglutide also improved cardiometabolic risk factors.
- Ji presented the phase 3 trial results at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 85th Scientific Sessions.
Ecnoglutide, a novel GLP-1 receptor agonist, is showing meaningful promise for weight loss, with study participants experiencing ample reductions in body weight. The SLIMMER trial revealed ecnoglutide’s clear superiority over a placebo, offering new hope for individuals battling obesity and overweight. Dr. Linong Ji’s research highlights improvements in crucial cardiometabolic risk factors, including blood pressure and lipid profiles, which adds to the drug’s potential. News Directory 3 brings you the latest insights into this groundbreaking research, which was presented at the ADA and published in The Lancet. Dive in to discover ecnoglutide’s unique mechanism and understand how it may redefine treatment options. Discover what’s next…
Ecnoglutide Shows Promise for Weight Loss and Metabolic Benefits
Updated June 22, 2025
A new study reveals that ecnoglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, is effective for weight loss in adults struggling with overweight or obesity. The SLIMMER trial, involving over 600 participants, demonstrated ecnoglutide’s superiority to placebo.
Dr.Linong ji, from peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China, highlighted that ecnoglutide also improved cardiometabolic risk factors. These included waist circumference, blood pressure, lipid profile, A1C, fasting glucose, insulin levels, and uric acid, alongside a reduction in liver fat content.
Ji presented the phase 3 trial results at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 85th Scientific Sessions. The findings were simultaneously published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
Ecnoglutide differs from other GLP-1 receptor agonists through its selective induction of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production. Ji explained that unlike unbiased GLP-1 therapies, ecnoglutide minimizes β-arrestin recruitment, potentially enhancing its effectiveness for weight reduction and sustained metabolic effects.
The trial randomized overweight and obese Chinese adults to weekly doses of 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, or 2.4 mg of ecnoglutide, or to a placebo.The primary goals were to assess the percentage change in body weight and the proportion of participants achieving at least a 5% reduction in body weight after 40 weeks.
Participants receiving ecnoglutide experienced average weight losses of 9.1%, 10.9%, and 13.2% at the 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, and 2.4 mg doses, respectively, considerably surpassing the 0.1% loss in the placebo group. Furthermore, a significantly higher percentage of ecnoglutide recipients achieved at least 5% body weight loss compared to those on the placebo.
After 48 weeks, 78% to 93% of ecnoglutide participants achieved at least 5% weight loss, with higher doses yielding greater changes. Adverse events,mainly mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal issues,led to medication discontinuation in ten ecnoglutide recipients. Treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 93% of each ecnoglutide group and 84% of the placebo group.
“Ecnoglutide not only represents a viable competitor in the GLP-1 analog market but also stands out with its potential to address the nonresponse limitations in obesity treatment while providing holistic metabolic benefits,” Ji said.
Ji noted that a significant portion of weight-loss patients fail to achieve clinically significant weight loss. He emphasized the importance of option treatments with high response rates for those unresponsive to existing therapies.
“After 48 weeks of treatment, ecnoglutide achieved a 15.4% weight reduction, with 92.8% of patients attaining clinically meaningful weight loss,” he emphasized.
Andrew Kraftson, MD, a specialist at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, noted that ecnoglutide refines existing molecules to enhance efficacy and reduce side effects. He added that the trend toward refining weight management therapy will benefit patients by expanding their options and potentially leading to personalized medicine.
what’s next
Ji suggests that longer studies are needed, as patients in the 1.8-mg and 2.4-mg groups continued to lose weight at week 48 without plateauing. Tricia M-M Tan, PhD, of Imperial College, London, advocated for a comparative study between biased and balanced GLP-1 analogs to clarify the clinical role of this design feature.