Cagrilintide-semaglutide (CagriSema), Novo Nordisk’s investigational once-weekly amylin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist combination, changed how the brain responds to high-calorie food cues and reduced self-reported “food noise” over 52 weeks in adults with overweight or obesity, according to data presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting 2026.1
Separate analyses in adults with type 2 diabetes showed reductions in fat around abdominal organs, including the liver and pancreas, along with early signals that bone health was maintained despite substantial weight loss.1
For pharmacists fielding patient questions about cravings and the quality of weight loss, the findings add mechanistic context, although all 3 analyses were presented as late-breaking abstracts.1
Brain Responses to Food Cues
In a 52-week study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a noninvasive technique that measures brain activity during specific tasks, CagriSema modified brain responses to high-calorie food cues in regions linked to cravings, reward, sensory processing, and behavioral control. Participants also reported improved eating behavior, including reduced food noise, cravings, hunger, appetite, and food-related thoughts, as well as improved craving control, at both 22 and 52 weeks. These changes were accompanied by an estimated treatment difference in body weight of 22.4% versus placebo at 52 weeks (P < .0001).1
Ectopic Fat in Early Type 2 Diabetes
An MRI substudy of the phase 3a REIMAGINE 1 trial, a 40-week study of 189 adults with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on diet and exercise, evaluated whole-body metabolic effects. CagriSema 2.4 mg/2.4 mg produced significant reductions in abdominal fat and in fat around the liver and pancreas vs placebo, alongside a 14.3% reduction in body weight at week 40. According to Novo Nordisk, ectopic fat stored in the liver, pancreas, and around abdominal organs is a key contributor to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes progression. 1
