Add this common skin condition to the list of ailments that Ozempic may improve.
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a lesion-causing inflammatory disorder that affects at least 1 in 100 people and is strongly associated with obesity.
Treatments include weight loss, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, surgery and laser therapy — and perhaps eventually semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.
In a new study, 30 obese patients with varying levels of HS received semaglutide weekly for about eight months.
Participants lost 13 pounds on average, improved their blood sugar, reduced inflammation in their body and experienced fewer HS flare-ups.
On average, the frequency of these episodes went from once every 8 ½ weeks to once every 12 weeks.
The results were presented this week at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology conference in Amsterdam.
“Our findings suggest that semaglutide, even at modest doses, can offer substantial benefits in managing HS,” said Dr. Daniel Lyons, lead researcher from St. Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin, Ireland.
“While the drug’s role in promoting weight loss is well-established, what’s particularly exciting is its potential to also reduce the frequency of HS flare-ups, contributing to the notable improvements observed in patients’ quality of life,” Lyons added.
He says larger trials are needed to confirm these findings and assess the effect of higher doses of semaglutide.
“Ultimately, we hope our preliminary data will encourage dermatologists to consider weight loss medication as an adjunct to existing HS treatments and inspire further research in this area aimed at improving outcomes for people living with this challenging condition,” Lyons said.
The US Food and Drug Administration approved Ozempic in 2017 to treat Type 2 diabetes in adults and Wegovy in 2021 for adult weight loss.
Since then, researchers have been scrambling to figure out what else Ozempic and similar drugs can treat, such as substance abuse and heart disease.
