Summary
As many as 1 in 5 patients may not lose significant weight with GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic, despite their popularity and effectiveness in clinical trials.
Experts attribute this variability to genetic, hormonal, and brain-based differences in regulating energy, as well as factors like sleep apnea or medications that hinder weight loss.
Non-responders often face frustration, but doctors stress alternative options, including different medications, lifestyle adjustments, or older treatments.
To be honest, 80% effectiveness for a generation 2 of a long term drug is a pretty nice value, especially in this field and the regulatory mechanisms it affects.
That’s better than basically most psychiatric, antivirals, antihypertensive and antidiabetic medication.
Only a few long term drugs like contraceptives, some chemotherapeutics and some hormone replacement drugs work that well in that many cases. And most of them are not Gen 2 drugs in a new field.