A tiny implant could let people stay on GLP-1 treatment without weekly shots

[Lazy Sentinel]

Vivani Medical just got approval from an Australian ethics committee to start the first human trial of its semaglutide implant, called SLIM-1. The device is meant to slowly release the same active ingredient found in Wegovy but from a small implant instead of a weekly injection. The phase one study kicks off with around 20 overweight or obese adults who have never taken a GLP-1 drug before

Participants will be randomly split between the implant and a low dose weekly Wegovy shot over four weeks, with researchers mainly checking safety and how the drug is absorbed and released over time. Weight loss will also be tracked but it is a secondary measure at this early stage. If everything goes well Vivani thinks the implant could eventually work as a twice a year or even once a year option

The appeal here is obvious for anyone who has struggled with the weekly injection routine or the cost of staying on these drugs long term. A single implant that lasts months instead of a fridge full of pens is a real quality of life improvement if the pharmacokinetics hold up in bigger trials. It also sidesteps the adherence problem that causes a lot of people to fall off GLP-1 treatment after the first few months

This is still very early days though, a 20 person four week study is a first step and not proof the implant actually works as well as the injection over a full year. Plenty of companies have tried to build a better delivery mechanism for these drugs and stumbled on manufacturing or absorption consistency. Worth watching but nowhere near ready for anyone's medicine cabinet yet

A tiny GLP-1 implant is the latest bet to help patients maintain their weight losswww.cnbc.com

[Amber90]

The adherence angle is honestly the whole ballgame here, so many people stop the shots once side effects or cost get annoying and then regain everything

[TheGame_Fan]

20 people and four weeks is such a tiny sample, feels way too early to get excited yet even if the concept is promising

[BlackMamba]

Twice a year dosing would be genuinely huge for the healthcare system if it actually pans out at scale, way less friction than weekly pens

[WWEGary20]

Implants always sound great until you remember someone still has to place and eventually remove them, that's a bigger ask than a jab

[PhotonBurst76]

Wonder how this compares cost wise to the weekly injections once it's actually approved, insurance companies are going to have opinions

[FadedSequence]

Anyone know if there's a risk of the implant just dumping too much drug at once versus the steady release they are hoping for

[BinaryMonk95]

An implant that lasts months instead of weekly shots? Finally, a solution for people who forget their injection day and then panic on Thursday night.

[Katie95]

The real question is whether insurance will cover it. Weekly shots are already a battle to get approved - an implant sounds like something they'll classify as "experimental" for the next five years.

[Socket91]

Vivani's SLIM-1 trial is a big deal if it works. No more fridge space dedicated to semaglutide, no more traveling with cool packs. Just pop it in and forget about it for a while.

[SingularityNodeKettle]

Picture the sales pitch: "Tired of injecting yourself every week? Try our tiny rod that lives under your skin forever." Sounds like a sci-fi plot, but here we are.

[Megan95]

The cost comparison is going to be wild. Weekly shots add up, but so does a surgical procedure to implant something. My guess? Insurance will push back hard until the data proves it's cheaper long-term.

[Outlaw]

Also curious how reversible this is. If someone has side effects, can they just... get it removed? Or is it a case of "well, you signed the waiver"?

[Runtime Arrow]

The real winners here are the people who've been rationing doses because the shots are too expensive or hard to get. If this implant is cost-effective, it could open up access in a big way.

[Brandon14]

This feels like the kind of innovation that'll be game-changing for adherence. People drop off weekly shots for all kinds of reasons - forgetfulness, needle anxiety, travel hassles. An implant solves most of that.

[Daniel85]

Wonder how the dosing works. Weekly shots let you adjust if side effects hit. An implant is more of a "commit and hope" situation. That could be a problem for people who don't tolerate semaglutide well.

[Ava_75]

Six months from now, we'll either be reading about how this is revolutionizing GLP-1 treatment or about a class-action lawsuit over complications. Place your bets.

[Stephen_16]

The downside? Now we'll have people forgetting they even have it in there and showing up at airports setting off metal detectors. "Sir, please remove the medical device from your arm." "I can't, it's inside me."

[Loki Daemon]

The Australian ethics approval is just the first step. FDA approval in the US will be the real test, and that process loves to drag things out. Expect at least a couple years before this is widely available.