medwireNews: The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has recommended approval of liraglutide 3.0 mg to treat obesity in children aged 12 years or older.
The lower 1.8 mg/day dose of the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist is already available for adolescents with type 2 diabetes. The higher dose, used to combat obesity in adults, is now recommended for approval in this younger age group based on the results of a trial published in January 2020, which showed significant weight reductions with liraglutide 3.0 mg/day versus placebo, in line with the established effect in adults.
To qualify for treatment, adolescents must have a BMI for their age and sex that corresponds to 30 kg/m2 or more for adults, and must weigh more than 60 kg. Treatment should be re-evaluated after 12 weeks if the teen has not reduced their BMI or BMI z score by at least 4%.
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