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MetabolismGLP-1
Semaglutide: From Diabetes Therapy to Obesity Research
6 min read
Semaglutide: The Reference Molecule of the GLP-1 Class
Semaglutide is a synthetic GLP-1 receptor agonist peptide developed by Novo Nordisk and approved under the trade names Ozempic (diabetes, weekly subcutaneous), Rybelsus (diabetes, daily oral) and Wegovy (obesity, weekly subcutaneous). With a half-life of approximately 7 days, once-weekly injection maintains stable plasma concentrations.
The semaglutide molecule is based on the natural GLP-1 sequence modified at position 8 to increase resistance to the degradation enzyme DPP-4. A C18 fatty acid chain linked to lysine-34 via a linker enables reversible albumin binding and explains the extended half-life.
SUSTAIN and STEP: The Clinical Trial Programmes
The SUSTAIN programme investigated semaglutide in type 2 diabetes across 10 Phase 3 studies. SUSTAIN-6 was the first high-dose GLP-1 trial to show a significant 26 % reduction in cardiovascular events (HR 0.74). The STEP programme for the obesity indication (2.4 mg weekly) demonstrated a mean weight reduction of 14.9 % in STEP-1 after 68 weeks.
The SELECT study (2023) additionally demonstrated a significant reduction in major cardiovascular events in overweight non-diabetic patients on semaglutide (HR 0.80), confirming cardioprotective effects beyond the glucose effect.
Semaglutide as a Research Compound
In preclinical research, semaglutide is used in cell and animal models to better understand the mechanisms of GLP-1 signal transduction, neuroprotection via GLP-1 receptors in the CNS and beta-cell function. Studien Peptide provides semaglutide as a high-purity lyophilised peptide for authorised research purposes.
