An early trial suggests that a pill made by the firm behind Ozempic may be twice as effective as the fat jab in weight loss. The pill, called amycretin, led to a 13% body weight loss in 12 weeks compared to 6% from the jab Wegovy. The pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk's value surged on the results, making it more valuable than Elon Musk's Tesla. Demand for the pill is high due to its potential effectiveness in treating obesity and related health conditions.
Key Points
Amycretin mimics hormones GLP-1 and amylin to make patients feel full and reduce overeating
Novo Nordisk's value surged on the positive results, indicating high market demand
The pill could be more convenient for patients than injections and use less plastic
Pros
Amycretin led to a 13% body weight loss in 12 weeks in early trials
May be twice as effective as the weight loss jab Wegovy
Potential breakthrough in the treatment of obesity
Cons
Results are from a phase 1 study with a small sample size of 16 patients
More research is needed to confirm the findings
Potential side effects include gut issues, severe acute pancreatitis, and other rare conditions