medwireNews: Liraglutide at its 3.0 mg daily dose can now be used for weight management in US adolescents aged 12 to 19 years, following FDA approval.
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 approved for this younger age group based on a trial published in January this year, 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 correspond to 30 kg/m2 or more for adults, and must weigh more than 60 kg.
The FDA notes that 20% of US adolescents are currently considered obese, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare. © 2020 Springer Healthcare part of the Springer Nature Group