Next-Generation Obesity Treatments Take Center Stage at ADA

The upcoming American Diabetes Association (ADA) 85th Scientific Sessions will focus on new and evolving weight-loss treatments for people with and without diabetes, along with new biological and technological approaches for managing type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Late-breaking symposia will include data from trials of a once-monthly injectable for obesity treatment, a nonpeptide oral GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA), and a medication combining a GLP-1 RA with another drug designed to augment fat loss while preserving lean mass. Other new findings at the meeting include the use of a GLP-1 RA in T1D and the latest data on stem cell-derived islet cell transplantation in T1D. And always, there’s much more.

The meeting will take place from June 20 to 24, 2025, in Chicago. “This year again, it will be heavily focused on obesity but more on the next generation of obesity drugs. We’re progressing to therapy that may be more amenable to the patient, with less frequent dosing and greater convenience,” Marlon Pragnell, PhD, ADA’s vice president of research and science, told Medscape Medical News.

A major theme of the meeting, said Conference Planning Committee Chair Mark A. Atkinson, PhD, director of the University of Florida Diabetes Institute, Gainesville, Florida, will be “after decades of making moderate impacts on both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, we are now in a position where we’re moving from baby steps to big leaps, be it through technology, as well as new drugs for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. There’s a very positive evolution here, but now that we have all these new tools, how do we most effectively use them?”

And of course, the “elephant in the room,” Atkinson noted, is the cost of the new approaches and access, another topic that will be addressed in several sessions. “Cost is also a huge factor. There will be discussions about cost and cost effectiveness.” 

Late-breaking symposia topics include the following: 

• Once-monthly maridebart cafraglutide (MariTide, Amgen) for the treatment of obesity in people with or without T2D — a 52-week phase 2 study: Although Amgen’s top-line results didn’t quite meet expectations for weight loss, Pragnell sees the once-monthly dosing as a potential major advantage. “I think the key thing here is going to be on just the convenience of dosing and that obviously factors into adherence,” he noted.

• First report of a phase 3 radomized controlled trial of orforglipron, a small nonpeptide GLP-1 RA, as monotherapy in drug-naïve T2D with inadequate glycemic control — the ACHIEVE-1 trial: These will be the full data for Eli Lilly’s investigational product, following the release of top-line results in April 2025.

  The potential advantages here are not just that it would be an oral GLP-1 RA but because it’s a nonpeptide small molecule it could be taken regardless of food or liquid intake, it wouldn’t require refrigeration, and could potentially be manufactured more cheaply than injected GLP-1 RAs. “This is actually very exciting,” Pragnell commented.

• Can we improve the quality of weight loss by augmenting fat mass loss while preserving lean mass? The BELIEVE study of bimagrumab plus semaglutide: The loss of lean muscle along with fat mass with GLP-1 RAs has been an ongoing concern. This phase 2 study in people with obesity but not diabetes examines the effect of combining bimagrumab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks activin type II receptors and stimulates skeletal muscle growth, with the GLP-1 RA semaglutide. Eli Lilly acquired Versanis Bio, which held the rights to bimagrumab, in 2023.
• Efficacy and safety of CagriSema 2.4 mg/2.4 mg in adults with overweight/obesity — the REDEFINE 1 and REDEFINE 2 clinical trials: Novo Nordisk’s CagriSema combines the GLP-1 RA semaglutide with cagrilintide, a dual amylin and calcitonin RA. “The idea behind the amylin analog is to come to the weight loss at multiple angles. I think it’s going to be very interesting. It’s clearly a next-generation approach,” Pragnell said.
• ADJUnct semaglutide treatment in T1D (ADJUST-T1D) trial outcomes: With obesity increasingly recognized as an issue in T1D, the ADJUnct study examined the impact of adding semaglutide to automated insulin delivery. This symposium will include new trial outcomes.

Other late-breaking symposia will cover results of the CATALYST trial of treatment of hypercortisolism in difficult to control T2D, new data from the STRIDE trial of semaglutide in peripheral artery disease, and the full data for the SOUL trial of oral semaglutide (Rybelsus) on cardiovascular and other outcomes in people with T2D at high cardiovascular risk.

And there’s much more, including results from a trial called PATHWEIGH, focusing on weight management in primary care, updates on inhaled insulin, new data on Vertex’s stem cell-derived transplanted islets in T1D, and the use of artificial intelligence in diabetes management.

According to Atkinson, “This year’s scientific sessions will showcase cutting-edge advancements in diabetes research through a robust, data-focused program. Whether attending in person or watching on-demand, participants will have the chance to connect with top experts, take part in engaging discussions, and gain critical insights that will help shape the future of diabetes care.”

Pregnall and Atkinson had no disclosures.

Miriam E. Tucker is a freelance journalist based in the Washington, DC, area. She is a regular contributor to Medscape, with other work appearing in the Washington Post, NPR’s Shots blog, and Diatribe. She is on X (formerly Twitter) @MiriamETucker and BlueSky @miriametucker.bsky.social.