A once-weekly injection helped Asian adults with obesity lose, on average, more than 16% of their body weight in under a year. The STEP 11 phase 3 trial, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, evaluated semaglutide 2.4 mg in 150 adults across 12 sites in South Korea and Thailand. Participants without diabetes were randomized 2:1 to semaglutide or placebo, alongside reduced-calorie diet and physical activity, for 44 weeks.

At week 44, semaglutide resulted in a 16% average reduction in bodyweight compared with 3% on placebo (p<0.0001). A higher proportion achieved clinically meaningful thresholds of ≥5%, ≥10%, and ≥15% weight loss. Waist circumference decreased by nearly 12 cm versus 3 cm in the placebo group. Discontinuation rates were low, and gastrointestinal side effects were the most common adverse events. Serious adverse events occurred in 13% receiving semaglutide and 8% receiving placebo.

The findings demonstrate that semaglutide is effective and generally well tolerated in Asian adults with obesity. These results support its inclusion in regional obesity guidelines and may guide reimbursement policies in countries where lower BMI thresholds define obesity.