A new experimental oral medication called elecoglipron improved blood sugar control and promoted weight loss in adults with type 2 diabetes during a phase 2b trial. Results from the SOLSTICE study were presented at the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions and published in The Lancet.
The trial, sponsored by AstraZeneca, enrolled 406 adults across nine countries. Participants received varying doses of the non-peptide GLP-1 receptor agonist elecoglipron or a placebo for 26 weeks.
Up to 89.6 percent of those on the drug reached an HbA1c level below 7 percent, compared with 24.9 percent on placebo. Up to 72.3 percent achieved at least 5 percent body weight loss versus 20.2 percent in the placebo group.
Vanita Aroda, the study's lead presenter and director of diabetes clinical research at Mass General Brigham, said the findings highlight the potential of oral GLP-1 therapies to overcome limitations of current injectable or peptide-based options. The safety profile aligned with other drugs in this class.
