In findings from the Semaglutide Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial (SOUL) recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, investigators reported that the use of oral semaglutide was associated with a significantly lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events than a placebo, without an increase in the incidence of serious adverse events, in people with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or both.
The SOUL researchers will detail additional findings during the session, SOUL Trial—Effects of Oral Semaglutide on Cardiovascular (and Other) Outcomes in People with Type 2 Diabetes at High CV Risk, to be held on Sunday, June 22, from 4:30–6:00 p.m., in Room W375 A of the McCormick Place Convention Center. On-demand access to recorded presentations will be available to registered participants following the conclusion of the 85th Scientific Sessions, from June 25–August 25.
“Previous studies have shown the cardiovascular efficacy of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, but it has become clear that the penetrance of these medications is lagging way behind the data,” said Darren K. McGuire, MD, MHSc, FAHA, FACC, FESC, Distinguished Teaching Professor and the Jere H. Mitchell, MD Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Science, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, who will describe the rationale and design of the SOUL trial and the baseline characteristics of the study population. “One of the hurdles is the reticence of both patients and prescribers to use an injectable medication, so what we wanted to do in the SOUL study was to test whether a new oral formulation of semaglutide would reproduce the injectable efficacy.”
While the oral formulation of semaglutide presents some challenges, the researchers believe their findings support it as a safe and effective alternative to the injectable formulation, according to John B. Buse, MD, PhD, the Verne S. Caviness Distinguished Professor and Director of the Diabetes Care Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, who will detail some of the study’s key findings.
“Oral semaglutide is kind of tricky to take. You have to take it on an empty stomach with a small swallow of water and not eat or drink anything for at least 30 minutes. There was debate as to whether 10,000 people could do that for four years, but that question has now been answered,” Dr. Buse said. “Our overwhelming conclusion is that there seems to be broad benefit with regard to oral semaglutide on cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. It doesn’t matter if you look at men, women, old, young, kidney disease, no kidney disease, heart disease, no heart disease—it seems that the benefit is similar across the board.”
Joining Dr. Buse and Dr. McGuire for the session will be:
- Rodica Pop-Busui, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, who will discuss the impact of oral semaglutide on cardiovascular and kidney outcomes, as well as safety signals
- Nikolaus Marx, MD, FESC, FAHA, Professor of Medicine, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Germany, who will talk about the efficacy and safety of oral semaglutide with or without sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor background therapy
- Silvio E. Inzucchi, MD, Professor of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, who will describe stroke outcomes in SOUL
- John Deanfield, MB, BChir, FRCP, FESC, FACC, Professor of Cardiology, University College London, United Kingdom, who will comment on the clinical context of the SOUL trial findings from a cardiologist’s perspective.
Register Today for the 85th Scientific Sessions
Join us in Chicago for the 85th Scientific Sessions, June 20–23, to learn about the latest advances in diabetes research, prevention, and care. Full in-person registration includes access to all of the valuable onsite content during the meeting and on-demand access to session recordings June 25–August 25.