Their half-lives are 13 hours (LIRA) and 7 days (SEMA), allowing for daily and weekly subcutaneous administration, respectively, thanks to the structural modifications introduced.5,10 Effects on obesity and glycaemic control Both LIRA 3 mg and SEMA 2.4 mg have demonstrated a strong appetite-suppressing and satiety-promoting effect, as well as a delaying effect on gastric emptying.11,12 The SCALE programme highlighted the efficacy of LIRA 3 mg in reducing body weight and waist circumference13 and confirmed a reduction in HbA1c levels in individuals with diabetes, along with a decreased progression from prediabetes to diabetes after three years of treatment14 (Table 1)
However, the related mechanism of blood oxygen content and serum ions in a hypoxic environment must be studied further
Structured nutrition and lifestyle programmes may be considered for glycaemic benefit and can be adapted for specific cultural indications [83,84,85,86,87]
Semaglutide is not to be given intravenously or intramuscularly
Once-weekly administration: The long-acting formulation supports convenient dosing schedules in clinical protocols