New data support the use of once-weekly S.C. semaglutide plus lifestyle intervention for weight control in patients who are overweight or obese. In a recent clinical trial, patients given semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly lost an average of 15% of their body weight over a 16-month period compared with a 2.4% loss for those given placebo. Novo Nordisk filed a new drug application with FDA in December 2020 seeking approval for use of semaglutide for weight management. “This is by far the most effective intervention we have seen for weight management when you compare it to many of the currently existing drugs,” said corresponding author Robert Kushner, MD, professor of medicine and medical education at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in a press release. “Semaglutide sets the bar for a new generation of more-effective weight loss medications.” The STEP 1 trial—Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with Obesity—randomized 1,961 adult patients without diabetes who had a BMI of 30 or greater, or a BMI of 27 or greater plus one or more weight-related coexisting conditions, to 68 weeks of treatment with once-weekly S.C. semaglutide 2.4 mg (1,306 participants) or placebo (655 participants) plus lifestyle interventions. The completion rate of the trial was high, with 94.3% of patients finishing the 68 weeks. The results, published March 18, 2021, in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that patients treated with semaglutide had an estimated mean weight change of −14.9% at week 68 compared with −2.4% of patients receiving placebo (P < 0.001). Other benefits included greater reductions in waist circumference and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as changes in A1C, fasting plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, and fasting lipid levels. Both groups reported adverse events at similar percentages—89.7% (semaglutide group) and 86.4% (placebo group). However, more patients in the semaglutide group experienced GI adverse events such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and constipation. These adverse events were mild to moderate, transient, and generally resolved without permanent discontinuation of the regimen. The results observed with semaglutide add to the available data for liraglutide (Saxenda—Novo Nordisk), another glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, which is FDA approved for chronic weight management in patients who are overweight or obese. Liraglutide is given once daily as an S.C. injection, and data have shown that the majority of patients treated with this agent experience a 5% or greater reduction in weight loss. Although liraglutide is effective, the need to administer it as a daily injection may be a limiting factor for more widespread use. Along with the GLP-1 agonists, the sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors have also been effective for weight loss during trials evaluating their use for management of type 2 diabetes. The ability of this class of medications to reduce body weight is moderate, however, because of counter-regulatory mechanisms that work to maintain body weight. Further analyses will evaluate the use of SGLT-2 inhibitors in combination with other agents such as the GLP-1 agonists as a potential weight management strategy. Obesity is a global health challenge that increases the risk for numerous comorbidities and even death. Therefore, effective interventions aimed at helping patients lose weight and keep it off long term are needed. Medications such as phentermine/topiramate (Qsymia—Vivus), naltrexone/bupropion (Contrave—Currax), and orlistat (Alli—GlaxoSmithKline; available OTC) have all been used for weight control, but the results have not been as robust as those observed for semaglutide in the STEP 1 trial. Even so, there is still the need for longer-term data to determine the sustainability of semaglutide for weight loss. Clinicians and patients will also need to consider the drug's delivery as a weekly S.C. injection, how GI adverse events can be managed, and cost implications. Lifestyle modification is the cornerstone of treatment for management of patients who are overweight and obese. Pharmacists can counsel patients on proper nutrition and the need for increased physical activity and inform those who select pharmacotherapy that several treatment options are available. They can also educate patients on the risks and benefits of each treatment option and encourage them throughout their weight loss journey.