Once-Daily Oral Semaglutide Versus Injectable GLP-1 RAs in People with Type 2 Diabetes Inadequately Controlled on Basal Insulin: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.
Diabetes Ther · 2021
Last updated 2026-05-28A review of seven clinical trials found that once-daily oral semaglutide at 14 mg, when added to basal insulin, reduced blood sugar levels by 0.42% to 1.32% more than most injectable GLP-1 drugs. It also led to greater weight loss than some comparators, with similar side effects like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. The results were measured at about 26 weeks.
AI summary of the abstract below.
| Journal | Diabetes Ther, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Citations | 32 |
| Relative citation ratio | 2.14 |
| NIH percentile | 76 |
| Molecules | semaglutide |
| Conditions studied | Type 2 Diabetes |
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The relative efficacy and safety of once-daily oral semaglutide vs. injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D) inadequately controlled on basal insulin were assessed using network meta-analysis (NMA).
METHODS: A systematic literature review (SLR) was performed to identify randomised controlled trials of GLP-1 RAs in this population. Data at 26 ± 4 weeks were extracted for efficacy and safety outcomes feasible for the NMA: change from baseline in glycated haemoglobin (HbA), weight and blood pressure; HbA target levels (< 7.0% and ≤ 6.5%); composite endpoint; incidence of nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. Comparators of interest were all licensed doses of dulaglutide, exenatide, liraglutide, lixisenatide and once-weekly injectable semaglutide.
RESULTS: The NMA included seven trials. Once-daily oral semaglutide 14 mg was associated with significantly greater HbA reductions vs. most comparators (treatment differences: - 0.42 to - 1.32%); differences vs. once-weekly injectable semaglutide (0.5 mg and 1 mg doses) were not statistically significant. Once-daily oral semaglutide 14 mg was associated with significantly greater weight reductions vs. exenatide 2 mg and lixisenatide 20 μg (- 2.21 and - 2.39 kg respectively); non-statistically significant weight reductions in favour of once-daily oral semaglutide 14 mg were observed vs. all other comparators except once-weekly injectable semaglutide 1 mg. Similar trends were observed for the proportion of subjects achieving HbA < 7.0% and ≤ 6.5% and the composite endpoint. Once-daily oral semaglutide 14 mg was associated with similar odds of experiencing nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea vs. all comparators.
CONCLUSION: Once-daily oral semaglutide 14 mg, as an add-on to basal insulin, is an efficacious treatment for reducing HbA and weight and meeting glycaemic targets at 26 ± 4 weeks. Once-daily oral semaglutide 14 mg also offers the option of an oral treatment with similar or better efficacy and similar tolerability vs. most injectable GLP-1 RAs.
Verbatim abstract via PubMed 33723769 ↗
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