GLP-1 Receptor Agonist
Semaglutide is a once-weekly GLP-1 peptide that produced 15 to 17% body weight reduction in clinical trials while reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke by 20% in a landmark 17,000-person cardiovascular outcomes study. It rewires appetite at the brain level, reducing cravings for high-calorie foods rather than simply making eating feel unpleasant.
Product
Research shows
Practical product identifiers and format details for professional review.
Content
5 mg
Format
Injectable
Semaglutide binds to GLP-1 receptors in the hypothalamus, gastrointestinal tract, and pancreas. Hypothalamic receptor activation suppresses appetite signals and reduces hedonic food-seeking behaviour, including cravings for high-calorie foods. In the pancreas, it enhances glucose-dependent insulin secretion and reduces glucagon output, improving post-prandial glycaemic control. Gastric GLP-1 receptor activation delays gastric emptying, extending satiety. The 7-day half-life maintains consistent receptor engagement without daily injections, producing sustained appetite suppression that enables meaningful caloric deficit maintenance.
Based on published research and preclinical data. All benefits are documented under research-grade conditions.
The STEP clinical trial program demonstrated 15–17% mean total body weight reduction at 68 weeks with weekly 2.4mg semaglutide (Wegovy). This magnitude of weight loss was unprecedented for a pharmacological agent and positioned semaglutide as the benchmark against which all subsequent weight management peptides are measured.
By activating GLP-1 receptors in the hypothalamus and area postrema, semaglutide reduces basal appetite drive and (critically) hedonic eating behaviour. Users report reduced cravings for high-calorie, ultra-processed foods, a changed relationship with food, and natural portion reduction without the conscious effort required by caloric restriction alone.
The SELECT trial (17,604 participants with obesity but not diabetes, over 3.5 years) demonstrated a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death) with semaglutide vs placebo. This is the first pharmacological weight loss agent to demonstrate cardiovascular mortality benefit in a large outcomes trial.
Semaglutide's GLP-1 receptor agonism improves glucose-dependent insulin secretion and reduces glucagon output, producing meaningful reductions in HbA1c and fasting blood glucose. This mechanism carries an inherently low hypoglycaemia risk as it is glucose-dependent: insulin is only stimulated when blood glucose is elevated.
Clinical data documents significant reductions in hepatic fat fraction and liver enzyme levels with semaglutide treatment. Semaglutide received regulatory approval for NASH/MASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) treatment in the US: a uniquely significant indication given the lack of other approved pharmacotherapies.
Semaglutide's 168-hour (7-day) half-life, achieved through albumin-binding via fatty acid chain modification, enables once-weekly dosing while maintaining continuous receptor engagement. This dramatically improves adherence vs daily agents and maintains consistent appetite suppression throughout the week.
Explore selected publications and registered trials on Semaglutide, with links to the original sources.
5 publications from the research library.
Evidence type
Publication and key finding
Source
Evidence type
Human randomized study
Direct Semaglutide randomized obesity trial
Publication and key finding
In STEP 1, weekly semaglutide plus lifestyle intervention reduced mean body weight by 14.9% at 68 weeks versus 2.4% with placebo.
The New England journal of medicine
Evidence type
Human randomized study
Direct Semaglutide two-year randomized trial
Publication and key finding
In STEP 5, semaglutide sustained a 15.2% mean weight reduction at 104 weeks versus 2.6% with placebo.
Nature medicine
Evidence type
Human randomized study
Direct Semaglutide active-comparator randomized trial
Publication and key finding
In STEP 8, semaglutide reduced mean body weight by 15.8% at 68 weeks versus 6.4% with daily liraglutide.
JAMA
Evidence type
Human randomized study
Direct Semaglutide long-term randomized evidence
Publication and key finding
In SELECT, semaglutide maintained a 10.2% mean weight reduction at four years versus 1.5% with placebo across sexes, body sizes and regions.
Nature medicine
Evidence type
Human randomized study
Direct Semaglutide cardiovascular-outcomes trial
Publication and key finding
In adults with cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity without diabetes, semaglutide reduced major cardiovascular events by 20% versus placebo.
The New England journal of medicine
5 selected studies from the wider trial library, in the order chosen for this product.
NCT03596450
NCT05579249
NCT03724981
NCT05548647
NCT04189848
Combinations used in research protocols where Semaglutide complements other compounds.
Labbieux pens are designed for 30 to 31 administrations of 10 clicks. With daily use, this corresponds to approximately one month. We recommend starting with 5 clicks and building up to 10 clicks per administration. More sensitive people may use fewer clicks.
Before using our pens, consult the manual.
Semaglutide's side-effect profile is well characterised from extensive clinical-trial data. The most common adverse effects are gastrointestinal: nausea (reported in ~40% of participants), vomiting, diarrhoea, and constipation. These are dose-dependent, most pronounced during dose titration, and typically transient. The severity of GI effects significantly influenced the dose-titration schedule used in clinical trials. Rare but serious risks include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease (including cholelithiasis, occurring at ~2.5% and partly attributed to rapid weight loss), and a potential thyroid C-cell tumour risk identified in preclinical research. This risk has not been demonstrated in humans but requires contraindication in those with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. Semaglutide is contraindicated in pregnancy. Facial volume reduction ('Ozempic face') is reported anecdotally in users experiencing rapid significant weight loss.
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