Drug Discovery and Development

JAMA study suggests link between semaglutide and eye disorder

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Ozempic

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An original investigation published in JAMA Ophthalmology indicated that the megablockbuster metabolic medication Wegovy (semaglutide) may increase the risk of a serious eye condition. The research, published on Wednesday, examined the occurrence of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) in patients taking semaglutide.

The GLP-1 receptor agonists Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus, all containing the active ingredient semaglutide, are used to treat diabetes and obesity.

Semaglutide users appear to face higher NAION rates

The study found higher rates of NAION in patients taking semaglutide compared to those on other medications.

For type 2 diabetes patients, there was a 8.9% rate with semaglutide versus 1.8% with non-GLP-1 medications. For overweight/obesity patients, the rate was 6.7% with semaglutide compared to 0.8% with other weight-loss medications.

NAION is a condition that can lead to vision loss resulting from damage to the optic nerve. It ranks as the second most common cause of blindness from optic nerve damage, after glaucoma.

36-month study points to risk increase

The 36-month observational study involved:

  • 710 adults with type 2 diabetes.
  • 979 individuals taking medications for weight loss.

The study found that diabetes patients taking semaglutide had more than four times higher risk of NAION. Obesity patients taking semaglutide had more than seven times higher risk of NAION.

Novo Nordisk responds, noting study limitations

Novo Nordisk, the maker of these drugs, noted limitations in the study design. The company stated that the data is not sufficient to prove a direct link between GLP-1 receptor agonist use and NAION. Currently, NAION is not listed as a known side effect for semaglutide-containing medications.

Semaglutide remains one of the core drivers of Novo Nordisk’s growth. In June, the company announced the presentation of 34 abstracts at the 84th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). This includes data from three landmark trials with semaglutide: FLOW (kidney outcomes in type 2 diabetes), SELECT (cardiovascular outcomes in obesity), and STEP HFpEF (heart failure outcomes in obesity). These presentations aim to demonstrate semaglutide’s potential benefits across multiple cardiometabolic conditions, reflecting the Danish company’s focus on addressing interlinked diseases like cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Filed Under: Metabolic disease/endicrinology, Ophthalmology
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About The Author

Brian Buntz

As the pharma and biotech editor at WTWH Media, Brian has almost two decades of experience in B2B media, with a focus on healthcare and technology. While he has long maintained a keen interest in AI, more recently Brian has made making data analysis a central focus, and is exploring tools ranging from NLP and clustering to predictive analytics.

Throughout his 18-year tenure, Brian has covered an array of life science topics, including clinical trials, medical devices, and drug discovery and development. Prior to WTWH, he held the title of content director at Informa, where he focused on topics such as connected devices, cybersecurity, AI and Industry 4.0. A dedicated decade at UBM saw Brian providing in-depth coverage of the medical device sector. Engage with Brian on LinkedIn or drop him an email at bbuntz@wtwhmedia.com.

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