A new pill, designed to target people with Type 2 diabetes, has been found to significantly improve the health of people living with the condition. Not only does semaglutide help to reduce the amount of glucose in a person's blood, but it also contributes to 'meaningful' weight loss.
In even better news, it's as good as medications already on the market which require a user to inject into their body. Semaglutide has also proven to be better than other treatments which can sometimes result in hypoglycaemia or weight gain.
The results of a study has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, where more than 650 people were used for the trial. Lead author Professor Melanie Davies has told the Daily Mail: "For some patients, injectable therapies are a problem, so having something available orally makes it more accessible to some patients.
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"We know that it is a bit of a barrier to people and anything that makes treatment more accessible and easier has got to be seen as good.
"These results demonstrating semaglutide's ability to have a significant impact on lowering HbA1c and support weight loss when taken orally therefore are hugely promising."
The research contained in JAMA insists that Phase 3 studies will be conducted to see how the drug works in the long term. Those who weren't given a placebo were found to have on average reductions of 1.9 percent of HbA1c, which is the measurement of blood glucose levels.
Nine-tenths of people taking semaglutide during the trial achieved HbA1c of less than seven percent, with healthy adults usually having levels below six percent.
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According to NHS Choices, Type 2 diabetes is caused when "the body doesn't produce enough insulin to function properly, or the body's cells don't react to insulin." The condition can cause vision loss or blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputation if it develops without treatment and a health plan.
It's the most common form of diabetes, with 90 percent of people in the UK with the condition suffering from Type 2. According to the Daily Mail, drugs to treat both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes cost a tenth of the NHS's yearly budget (which for 2015/16 was roughly £11.6 billion).
The website offers ways to lower your chances of developing it, including: "Eating a healthy, balanced diet, stopping smoking if you smoke, drinking alcohol in moderation and taking plenty of regular exercise."
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Sources: JAMA, Daily Mail, NHS Choices
Topics: World News, UK News, Drug, US News, Medicine