Wegovy is linked to an increased risk of hair loss, study suggests

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Yet one more study is zeroing in on the unintended unwanted effects of Novo Nordisk‘s semaglutide – the energetic ingredient in the corporate’s blockbuster weight reduction drug Wegovy and diabetes treatment Ozempic. 

But this time, the study highlights the chance of hair loss. 

To be clear, semaglutide’s link to hair loss is not latest. Clinical trials conducted by Novo Nordisk have shown the next risk of hair loss in patients who took semaglutide in comparison with those that took a placebo. 

Wegovy and Ozempic are a part of a category of popular medications called GLP-1s, which mimic a hormone within the gut to suppress appetite and regulate blood sugar. Those drugs are known for his or her gastrointestinal unwanted effects comparable to nausea and vomiting, and have also faced increased scrutiny after some patients reported experiencing stomach paralysis and suicidal ideation while taking them. 

In a press release, Novo Nordisk said it “stays confident within the benefit-risk profile of our GLP-1 medicines, when used consistent with their indications and product labeling.”

The brand new study, conducted by researchers on the University of British Columbia and never yet submitted for peer review, shows that semaglutide is related to hair loss in comparison with users of an older weight reduction pill called Contrave, or bupropion-naltrexone. 

The researchers examined data from 16 million patients from 2006 to 2020 and identified 1,926 semaglutide users and 1,348 Contrave users. Individuals with a diagnosis of diabetes or who used antihyperglycemics – medications that lower blood sugar levels – were excluded. 

The incidence rates of hair loss were higher amongst semaglutide users than Contrave users. Overall, patients who took semaglutide had a 52% higher risk of hair loss in comparison with those that took Contrave. 

The researchers also found that girls who took semaglutide had greater than two times the chance of hair loss in comparison with women within the Contrave group. But Mohit Sodhi, one in every of the authors, told CNBC that “most of our data was driven by women” in order that they cannot compare men versus women within the study. 

Amongst those that took semaglutide, there have been 22 cases of hair loss in women and only one case in men. Future studies with larger sample sizes of patients are needed to find out if there may be a difference between men and girls, Sodhi noted. 

The researchers also didn’t follow patients in the event that they stopped semaglutide or Contrave, so it’s unclear whether the chance of hair loss decreases once they’re off Novo Nordisk’s drug, in response to Sodhi. More research is required in that area, he said. 

So, why might semaglutide cause the next risk of hair loss? 

One factor may very well be the physiological stress that rapid weight reduction can induce, which might result in the “disruption of the natural hair cycle,” in response to Sodhi. He said that could be a more outstanding effect of semaglutide since it is understood to diminish weight more rapidly than Contrave. 

Semaglutide’s ability to suppress appetite also results in patients consuming less food, which might potentially cause nutrient deficiencies, including protein specifically, Sodhi added. Protein deficiencies have been shown to be linked to hair loss, he noted. 

Sodhi said patients can also lose nutrients through vomiting when on semaglutide. Some health experts also hypothesize that semaglutide can result in hormonal shifts that increase the chance of a typical type of hair loss called androgenic alopecia, he added. 

People, and girls specifically, considering using semaglutide strictly for weight reduction should want to “think about hair loss as a possible limitation” of the drug, the researchers said within the study. But individuals with diabetes or morbid obesity may weigh their risks and advantages otherwise, and should be more willing to just accept hair loss as a possible risk, the researchers added. 

One among the study authors, Dr. Mahyar Etminan, has previously consulted on litigation related to Ozempic. 

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Dexcom received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week after the agency inspected the corporate’s manufacturing facilities in San Diego, California, and Mesa, Arizona.

The FDA “observed non-conformities” with Dexcom’s quality management system and manufacturing processes, in response to a Friday company filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The agency also noted that the corporate’s response to its list of observations, formally referred to as Form 483, was insufficient. 

“The Company takes the matters identified within the warning letter seriously, has already submitted several responses to the Form 483 and is within the strategy of preparing a written response to the warning letter,” Dexcom said within the filing. 

It was unclear what specific problems the FDA identified on the facilities. 

Dexcom produces devices called continuous glucose monitors that will help users track their blood sugar and manage diabetes. The FDA’s warning letter doesn’t limit Dexcom’s ability to fabricate or distribute its products.

The corporate told CNBC it has been “usually updating” the FDA about improvements for the reason that agency carried out the inspections last 12 months. A few of its observations have already been sufficiently addressed, and the warning letter detailed “specific areas for continued focus,” Dexcom said.

“Dexcom stands behind the standard of our products and are committed to resolving any outstanding questions from the FDA as soon as possible,” the corporate said in a press release.

Dexcom also appointed Renée Galá, chief operating officer of Jazz Pharmaceuticals, to its board of directors last week. Galá has worked in her current role since 2023, and he or she previously served because the chief financial officer at Jazz.

She has also held leadership roles at Grail and Theravance Biopharma, and he or she spent several years on the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly. 

“Renée’s extensive experience guiding global finance and global operations including business and R&D to drive growth and create shareholder value provides a superb fit at this key point in Dexcom’s journey,” Dexcom CEO Kevin Sayer said in a release. 

As of intraday trading on Tuesday morning, shares of Dexcom are down about 9% 12 months to this point. 

Read the total release here.

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