For individuals with obesity and knee osteoarthritis, once-weekly semaglutide yields greater reductions in body weight and pain related to knee osteoarthritis than placebo, according to a study published in the Oct. 31 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Henning Bliddal, M.D., from the Copenhagen University Hospital at Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg in Denmark, and colleagues conducted a 68-week trial at 61 sites in 11 countries. Four hundred seven participants with obesity and a clinical and radiologic diagnosis of moderate knee osteoarthritis with at least moderate pain were randomly assigned to receive once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide or placebo in a 2:1 ratio in addition to counseling on physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet.

The researchers found that from baseline to week 68, the mean change in body weight was −13.7 and −3.2 percent with semaglutide and placebo, respectively. At week 68, the mean change in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain score was −41.7 and −27.5 points with semaglutide and placebo, respectively.

Greater improvement in the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey physical-function score was seen for participants in the semaglutide group versus placebo group (mean change, 12.0 versus 6.5 points). The two groups had a similar incidence of serious adverse events.

“The findings support the use of once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide at a dose of 2.4 mg for weight management and treatment of pain in persons with obesity and moderate-to-severe pain due to knee osteoarthritis,” the authors write.

The study was funded by Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of semaglutide.

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