Research Study Investigating How Well Semaglutide Works in People With Type 2 Diabetes Suffering From Overweight or Obesity

Summary

This study will look at the change in the participant's body weight from the start to the end of the study. This is to compare the effect on body weight in people taking semaglutide (a new medicine) and people taking "dummy" medicine. In addition to taking the study medicine, the participant will have talks with study staff about healthy food choices, how to be more physically active and what else the participant can do to lose weight. Overweight and obesity is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, weight loss has shown to have a beneficial impact on the blood sugar levels. The participant will either get semaglutide or "dummy" medicine - which treatment the participant get is decided by chance. The participant will need to take 2 injections at the same time once a week. The study medicine is injected with a thin needle in a skin fold in the stomach, thigh or upper arm. The study will last for about 1.5 years

Timeline

Start

2018-06-04

Primary completion

2020-03-24

Completion

2020-05-01

Publications

• Background Kushner RF, Calanna S, Davies M, Dicker D, Garvey WT, Goldman B, Lingvay I, Thomsen M, Wadden TA, Wharton S, Wilding JPH, Rubino D. Semaglutide 2.4 mg for the Treatment of Obesity: Key Elements of the STEP Trials 1 to 5. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020 Jun;28(6):1050-1061. doi: 10.1002/oby.22794.
• Results Davies M, Faerch L, Jeppesen OK, Pakseresht A, Pedersen SD, Perreault L, Rosenstock J, Shimomura I, Viljoen A, Wadden TA, Lingvay I; STEP 2 Study Group. Semaglutide 2.4 mg once a week in adults with overweight or obesity, and type 2 diabetes (STEP 2): a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2021 Mar 13;397(10278):971-984. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00213-0. Epub 2021 Mar 2.
• Schattenberg JM, Gronbaek H, Kliers I, Ladelund S, Long MT, Nygard SB, Sanyal AJ, Davies MJ. Proteomic signatures reflect effects of semaglutide treatment for MASH. JHEP Rep. 2025 Jul 22;7(10):101521. doi: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2025.101521. eCollection 2025 Oct.
• Wadden TA, Brown GK, Egebjerg C, Frenkel O, Goldman B, Kushner RF, McGowan B, Overvad M, Fink-Jensen A. Psychiatric Safety of Semaglutide for Weight Management in People Without Known Major Psychopathology: Post Hoc Analysis of the STEP 1, 2, 3, and 5 Trials. JAMA Intern Med. 2024 Nov 1;184(11):1290-1300. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.4346.
• Rubino D, Bjorner JB, Rathor N, Sharma AM, von Huth Smith L, Wharton S, Wadden T, Zeuthen N, Kolotkin RL. Effect of semaglutide 2.4 mg on physical functioning and weight- and health-related quality of life in adults with overweight or obesity: Patient-reported outcomes from the STEP 1-4 trials. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2024 Jul;26(7):2945-2955. doi: 10.1111/dom.15620. Epub 2024 May 2.
• Heerspink HJL, Apperloo E, Davies M, Dicker D, Kandler K, Rosenstock J, Sorrig R, Lawson J, Zeuthen N, Cherney D. Effects of Semaglutide on Albuminuria and Kidney Function in People With Overweight or Obesity With or Without Type 2 Diabetes: Exploratory Analysis From the STEP 1, 2, and 3 Trials. Diabetes Care. 2023 Apr 1;46(4):801-810. doi: 10.2337/dc22-1889.
• O'Neil PM, Birkenfeld AL, McGowan B, Mosenzon O, Pedersen SD, Wharton S, Carson CG, Jepsen CH, Kabisch M, Wilding JPH. Efficacy and safety of semaglutide compared with liraglutide and placebo for weight loss in patients with obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo and active controlled, dose-ranging, phase 2 trial. Lancet. 2018 Aug 25;392(10148):637-649. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31773-2. Epub 2018 Aug 16.

Drugs

Indications