Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes

Semaglutide is a new generation of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) analogs, and semaglutide is a long-acting dosage form developed based on the basic structure of liraglutide, which has a better effect in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Novo Nordisk has completed 6 Phase IIIa studies of semaglutide injection, and submitted a new drug registration application for semaglutide weekly injection to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 5, 2016. A Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) was also submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Compared with liraglutide, semaglutide has a longer aliphatic chain and increased hydrophobicity, but semaglutide is modified with a short chain of PEG, and its hydrophilicity is greatly enhanced. After PEG modification, it can not only bind closely to albumin, cover the enzymatic hydrolysis site of DPP-4, but also reduce renal excretion, prolong the biological half-life, and achieve the effect of long circulation.