Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42225300›Full record

Trial reportDiabetes, obesity & metabolism2026

Semaglutide 25 mg Oral Versus Semaglutide 2.4 mg Injectable: An Indirect Treatment Comparison of Weight Loss Outcomes.

Molly Plotkin, Milana Ivkovic, Inger Smith, Naveen Rathor, Rohan Chowdhury, Alexander Hodkinson, Robert F Kushner

Abstract readComparative StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Molly PlotkinNovo Nordisk Inc., Plainsboro, New Jersey, USA.
Milana IvkovicNovo Nordisk A/S, Søborg, Denmark.
Inger SmithWhite Box Health Economics Ltd, Brighton & Hove, UK.
Naveen RathorNovo Nordisk A/S, Søborg, Denmark.
Rohan ChowdhuryPetauri Evidence, Bicester, UK.
Alexander HodkinsonPetauri Evidence, Bicester, UK.
Robert F KushnerNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Funding

Novo Nordisk
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsSemaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, has demonstrated significant weight loss benefits for patients with overweight or obesity in both oral and subcutaneous (s.c.) formulations. Given comparable systemic exposure between formulations, an indirect treatment comparison (ITC) was conducted to confirm comparable efficacy. MATERIALS AND

methodsA naïve Bucher ITC was conducted using data from two well-matched randomized controlled trials: OASIS 4 (once-daily oral semaglutide 25 mg vs. placebo) and STEP 1 (once-weekly s.c. semaglutide 2.4 mg vs. placebo). Both studies enrolled adults with obesity or overweight with ≥ 1 weight-related complication and implemented similar lifestyle changes alongside semaglutide/placebo. The ITC compared percentage change in body weight, the proportion of participants achieving ≥ 5%, ≥ 10%, ≥ 15%, ≥ 20% weight loss, changes in cardiometabolic parameters, and quality of life (IWQoL-Lite-CT PF). Safety outcomes were descriptively compared.

resultsOral and s.c. semaglutide delivered comparable efficacy across all outcomes assessed. While small numerical advantages favoured oral or s.c. semaglutide on some endpoints, the differences and associated uncertainty supported therapeutic equivalence. For percentage weight change, s.c. semaglutide showed a small numerical advantage (estimated treatment difference [ETD]: 1.01%-points (95% confidence intervals [CI]: -1.61, 3.63) under treatment regimen; 0.55%-points (95% CI: -2.25, 3.35) under efficacy), but well below the FDA's 5% threshold for clinical relevance. Safety profiles were broadly comparable.

conclusionsThis ITC suggests that oral semaglutide 25 mg and s.c. semaglutide 2.4 mg offer comparable efficacy for weight management in adults with obesity.

Indexed as

Anti-Obesity AgentsGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsObesityOverweightSemaglutideWeight LossAdministration, OralAdultFemaleHumansInjections, SubcutaneousMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeTreatment OutcomeAnti-Obesity AgentsGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsSemaglutideantiobesity drugappetite controlGLP‐1obesity caresemaglutideweight management

Identifiers

PMID42225300
PMCPMC13341388

What OpenQuestion holds

Texttitle and abstract
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.