Semaglutide Starts the New Life with Type 2 Diabetes

Semaglutide, brand names as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus, is an anti-diabetic drug developed by Novo Nordisk, which is used to treat type 2 diabetes and manage chronic weight. With good hydrophilicity, low renal excretion, long half-life in the body, It has great ability to control blood glucose level with great convenience by injection once a week. Semaglutide is white or pale-yellow lyophilized powder, so low temperature storage and transport is required.

Mechanism

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1) receptor agonist with 94% sequence homology with human GLP-1. It increases the production of insulin, which can lower the blood glucose level. Semaglutide also appears to enhance growth of β cells, sites of insulin production, in the pancreas. By lowering appetite and slowing down digestion in the stomach, Semaglutide also can reduce food intake to control body weight.

Features

• • Safe and stable blood glucoselevel control

Semaglutide has a blood glucose concentration-dependent effect, which can increase pancreas responsiveness to glucose and inhibit the glucagon secretion. When blood glucose is lowered, this effect is diminished synchronously. So the risk of hypoglycemia will be lowered.

• • User-friendly

Maximum concentrations of Semaglutide were reached 1-3 days after administration. Steady-state exposure was reached after 4 to 5 weeks of once-weekly dosing. Compared with native GLP-1, Semaglutide has a longer half-life, approximately 1 week. Patients with type 2 diabetes can achieve good blood glucose control with only one injection per week.

• • Cardiovascular and renal protection effects

Multiple studies have shown that Semaglutide can significantly reduce the risk of adverse cardiovascular events and stroke. Semaglutide is also reported to reduce the proteinuria, uric acid, glomerular sclerosis.

• • Manage chronic weight

Semaglutide also can reduce food intake to control body weight, by lowering appetite and slowing down digestion in the stomach. FDA approved usage of Semaglutide for long-term weight control.

Sythesis

The synthesis of Semaglutide mainly contains two methods, fermentation and chemical synthesis.

In fermentation method, several bacterial strains are chosen to product Semaglutide precursor. After the precursor is purified, further reaction undergoes to obtain Semaglutide.

In chemical synthesis, Semaglutide’s long peptide chain is divided into four parts, intermediate 1, 2, 3 and 4. Each intermediate is synthesized separately, and finally synthesizes to Semaglutide. Additionally, intermediate 1 has a side chain, which should be synthesized previously.

Usage and dosage

The starting dose of Semaglutide was 0.25mg once weekly. After 4 weeks, dose should be increased to 0.5mg once weekly and adhere for at least 4 weeks. Whereafter, dose may be increased to 1 mg once a week, in order to further improve blood sugar control level. Weekly dose of more than 1mg is not recommended.

Cautions

Reported adverse effects in clinical trials of Semaglutide were gastrointestinal disorders, including nausea (very common), diarrhea (very common), and vomiting (common). Usually, these adverse effects are mild and duration is short.

Semaglutide should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes or in the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis. This product is not a substitute for insulin.

Semaglutide is not recommended for patients with grade IV congestive cardiac failure.