For many patients, Ozempic is the gift that keeps on giving. While it's only approved to treat type 2 diabetes, the weekly semaglutide injection is often prescribed off-label as a weight loss drug treatment. But beyond helping people lose weight, Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and its sister drug, Wegovy (which is approved for weight management), have also been found to lower the risk of cardiovascular events like stroke and prevent certain diseases like heart or kidney disease. And now, scientists believe another weight-loss medication called liraglutide may also help slow Alzheimer’s.
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Liraglutide is a "glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist" that helps lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes and decrease appetite for weight loss, per Mayo Clinic. It’s manufactured by Novo Nordisk under the brand names Saxenda and Victoza, similar to how Ozempic and Wegovy are different brands of semaglutide. However, one of the main differences between liraglutide and semaglutide is that it’s injected daily instead of weekly.
Now, clinical evidence and research suggest that liraglutide may reduce shrinking in parts of the brain that are responsible for cognitive functions, including memory and decision-making, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (JAD) Reports.
The study involved 204 participants with "mild" cases of Alzheimer’s disease living in the U.K. Split into two groups, half were given once-daily liraglutide injections for a full year, while the remaining half received a placebo. It’s worth noting that none of the participants had diabetes.
Scientists were unable to determine whether liraglutide can affect the brain’s cerebral glucose metabolic rate, lead researcher Paul Edison, PhD, announced at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) last week. However, their findings did suggest positive correlations between liraglutide and common Alzheimer’s side effects.
According to the study, participants taking liraglutide saw an 18 percent slower decline in cognitive function when compared with the placebo participants. Additionally, the liraglutide group "had nearly 50 percent less volume loss in several areas of the brain, including frontal, temporal, parietal and total gray matter, as measured by MRI. These areas are responsible for a variety of critical functions that often are affected by Alzheimer's disease, including memory, language and decision-making," a press release outlining findings reads.
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As research evolves, scientists claim that liraglutide may soon be praised as both a drug for diabetes and a medication to protect against dementia.
"The slower loss of brain volume suggests liraglutide protects the brain, much like statins protect the heart," Edison said in the release. "While further research is needed, liraglutide may work through various mechanisms, such as reducing inflammation in the brain, lowering insulin resistance and the toxic effects of Alzheimer's biomarkers amyloid-beta and tau, and improving how the brain's nerve cells communicate."
With GLP-1s already being used to prevent and treat a myriad of health issues, scientists say adding Alzheimer’s to the docket may be an easier or quicker solution given the breadth of knowledge and research that’s already out there.
"Repurposing drugs already approved for other conditions has the advantage of providing data and experience from previous research and practical use—so we already know a lot about real-world effectiveness in other diseases and side effects," Alzheimer's Association chief science officer and medical affairs lead Maria C. Carrillo, PhD, said in a statement.
As Edison previously mentioned, more research about liraglutide and Alzheimer’s is needed, but this study is a big step in the right direction.
"We are in an era of unprecedented promise, with new treatments in various stages of development that slow or may possibly prevent cognitive decline due to Alzheimer's disease," continued Carrillo. "This research provides hope that more options for changing the course of the disease are on the horizon."
