Semaglutide Research

Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. — STEP 1 Study Group

The landmark trial that put semaglutide on the map for weight loss. In this 68-week study of 1,961 adults with obesity or overweight (without diabetes), those taking weekly semaglutide 2.4mg lost an average of 14.9% of their body weight — compared to just 2.4% in the placebo group. Nearly 70% of semaglutide participants lost at least 10% of their body weight. This was the first major trial showing a non-surgical treatment could achieve weight loss approaching that of bariatric surgery.

Garvey WT, Batterham RL, Bhatta M, et al. — STEP 5 Study Group

STEP 5 extended the original trial to two years, enrolling 304 adults with obesity. Participants on semaglutide maintained an average 15.2% weight loss at 104 weeks versus just 2.6% with placebo — demonstrating that the weight loss is durable with continued treatment. This was important evidence that semaglutide is not just a short-term intervention but a sustained metabolic treatment.

Lincoff AM, Brown-Frandsen K, Colhoun HM, et al.

The SELECT trial enrolled over 17,600 adults with obesity and established cardiovascular disease but no diabetes. Those on semaglutide 2.4mg had a 20% lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular death) compared to placebo over approximately 3 years. This trial elevated semaglutide from a weight loss drug to a cardiovascular disease treatment and was one of the most significant findings in metabolic medicine in 2023.

Bergmann NC, Davies MJ, Lingvay I, Knop FK

A comprehensive review synthesizing results across the full STEP clinical trial program. Across STEP 1, 3, 4, and 8, semaglutide 2.4mg produced average weight losses of 14.9–17.4% over 68 weeks in people without diabetes, with 69–79% of participants achieving at least 10% weight loss. The review also covers cardiometabolic improvements and the safety profile across thousands of trial participants — providing the clearest overall picture of what semaglutide does in clinical practice.

Marso SP, Daniels GH, Brown-Frandsen K, et al.

The original cardiovascular outcomes trial for semaglutide in 3,297 high-risk type 2 diabetes patients. Semaglutide reduced major adverse cardiovascular events by 26% compared to placebo — the finding that first established semaglutide’s cardiovascular benefit beyond glucose control, and the foundation for all subsequent cardiovascular research in this class.