Comparison of Beinaglutide Versus Metformin for Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Non-diabetic Patients

Abstract

Purpose: We compared the efficacy and safety of beinaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue with metformin in lowering the bodyweight of patients who were overweight/obese and non-diabetic.

Patients and methods: Seventy-eight non-diabetic patients were randomly selected and beinaglutide or metformin was administered for 12 weeks. The primary endpoints were changes in body weight and the proportions of patients who lost≥5 and≥10% of their baseline body weights.

Results: A total of 64 patients completed the study; patients in the beinaglutide group exhibited more bodyweight loss than those in the metformin group [(9.5±0.8%; 9.1±0.9 kg) and (5.1±0.9%; 4.5±0.8 kg), respectively, corresponding to a difference of approximately 4.5 kg (95% confidence interval, 2.2-6.9 kg; P<0.01)]. In the beinaglutide group, 90.6 and 40.6% of the patients lost≥5 and≥10% of their body weight, respectively, whereas, in the metformin group, these rates were 46.9 and 12.5%, respectively (P<0.01 and P<0.05). Weight loss following beinaglutide treatment mainly resulted from the loss of fat mass. Compared to metformin, beinaglutide induced a greater decrease in the body mass index, weight circumference, percent body fat, and body fat mass (total, trunk, limb, android, and gynoid). Additionally, beinaglutide decreased serum insulin levels and ameliorated insulin resistance.

Conclusions: Beinaglutide is more efficient than metformin at reducing weight and fat mass in patients who are overweight/obese and non-diabetic. Beinaglutide may be a useful therapeutic option for overweight/obesity control in the Chinese population.

Fig. 1

A flow chart of the enrolment of the study subjects.

Fig. 2

A comparison of changes in body weight ( a ), body weight ( b ), percentage weight loss ( c ), proportion of patients who lost at least 0, 5, 10, and 15% of their initial body weight ( d ), changes in BMI ( e ), and BMI ( f ) during 12 weeks of treatment between beinaglutide or metformin groups (* P <0.05, ** P <0.01). a, c, d, and e ** P <0.001 * P <0.05; b and f ** P <0.001 * P <0.05 follow-up points vs. baseline. †† P< 0.001 † P <0.05 follow-up points vs. 4 weeks. ‡ P <0.05 follow-up points vs. 8 weeks. BMI, body mass index. .

Fig. 3

Changes in fat mass and lean tissue mass in the same region after treatment with beinaglutide or metformin (* P <0.05,** P <0.01).