Survodutide: de nieuwste ontwikkeling in de strijd tegen overgewicht

What is Survodutide?

Survodutide is being developed by Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma.

It is a promising new player in the field of weight loss medication. The medicine has not yet been approved and is therefore not available yet.

Just like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro will survodutide be used as a weekly injection. For those hoping for a pill, please wait a little longer.

In short: Research is underway into survodutide, as a possible new drug for obesity.

Possible effects

Survodutide is being tested for two purposes: as weight loss treatment and as a possible solution for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

NASH is a serious form of fatty liver disease that is not caused by alcohol, but in many cases by obesity. Millions of people are struggling with this without knowing it.

Double slimming effect

All right, another weight-loss medicine, then? Yes, but it looks like it goes a step further than the existing resources.

Indeed, Survodutide belongs to an innovative class of drugs known as “dual receptor agonists”.

This means that it works on two fronts at the same time:

1. GLP-1 receptor

This receptor has been in the news a lot recently, due to the growing popularity of weight loss medication. By activating the GLP-1 receptor:

• Do you feel full faster.
• Does it take longer for your stomach to empty.
• It stimulates insulin production, which helps regulate your blood sugar.

2. Glucagon receptor [1,2]

This is where survodutide stands out. By also activating the glucagon receptor, survodutide can:

• Increase your body's energy consumption.
• Stimulate fat burning.
• May help address fat deposits in the liver (such as fatty liver disease or NASH).

The result? An approach that not only focuses on eating less, but also on burning more.

Extra powerful

Thanks to this dual effect, survodutide is seen as a promising alternative for people whose GLP-1 injections have insufficient effect.

But note: no final comparative figures have been published yet.

In short: Survodutide has a dual effect, targeting both GLP-1 and the glucagon receptor.

When will survodutide be available?

Survodutide is still in the research phase. The phase 3 obesity trial started in 2024 and, if everything goes according to plan, we can expect approval in Europe around 2026-2027 [6].

In short: Survodutide isn't available yet, but it's coming. Expected availability: within 1-2 years.

What do the studies say?

The fact that survodutide is promising is not only shown by theory. It also shows impressive results in practice.

In a 2023 phase 2 study conducted on obese people but without diabetes, participants were followed for nearly a year (46 weeks). The group that received the highest dose of survodutide lost an average of 18.7% of their body weight [3].

It is remarkable that:

• 67% of the participants with the highest dose > 15% lost weight.
• Almost 40% even achieved > 20% weight loss.

By comparison, with Wegovy, the average weight loss is usually between 15-17%, which is already impressive [4].

So suppose someone weighs 100 kilos at the start of the treatment.

After 46 weeks on the highest dose of survodutide:

• Average weight loss: 18.7 pounds
• 67% lose more than 15 kilos
• 4 out of 10 people even lose more than 20 kilos

By comparison, at Wegovy:

An average of 15 to 17 kilos of loss at a starting weight of 100 kilos.

In short: the difference may not be tens of kilos, but for people for whom every extra pound counts, or for whom semaglutide does not give enough results, that extra few percent weight loss can be just the difference.

And the side effects?

The side effects of survodutide were similar to those of existing GLP-1 agents:

• Nausea
• Decreased appetite
• Diarrhea
• Sometimes vomiting

These symptoms mainly occurred in the first weeks of treatment, are mild to moderate, and often temporary. There are currently no signs of serious unexpected side effects, although larger and longer studies are still needed to confirm this.

In short: In early studies, Survodutide showed greater weight loss than existing drugs, with similar side effects.

Why this drug and not Ozempic?

Although slimming medication as Ozempic, Wegovy and Saxenda is very effective, survodutide tackles obesity just a little smarter, it:

• Stimulates fat burning via the glucagon receptor.
• Increases energy consumption, even at rest.
• Tackles liver fat more strongly (ideal for those dealing with early fatty liver disease or persistent belly fat).

For people whose GLP-1 alone does not provide sufficient results, or whose metabolism is in “save mode”, this can be a game changer.

In short: Survodutide is a type of GLP-1-plus medication. More fat burning, more energy consumption, more results.

Conclusion

Survodutide is a promising new player in the field of weight loss medication.

By combining GLP-1's appetite suppression with glucagon fat burning, the drug shows impressive results in early studies.

Two important points:

• It hasn't been approved yet.
• It is no substitute for healthy food, exercise and lifestyle choices.

Are you curious if you are eligible for weight loss medication? Fill out our short questionnaire and find out right away.