A new study shows that the popular GLP-1 weight loss drug Semaglutide can not only prevent cartilage degeneration in patients with osteoarthritis (OA), but also achieve cartilage repair to a certain extent. This finding hints at the potential for the drug to have broader applications beyond weight loss.
Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved semaglutide for the treatment of diabetes in 2017 and as a weight loss aid in 2021, people are often familiar with the drug under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy. Several studies in recent years have shown its effectiveness in treating other health problems. For example, clinical trials in 2024 showed that the drug can reduce the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular death in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease; other studies pointed out that it has a positive impact on the exercise ability of patients with Parkinson's disease, and may help alleviate brain atrophy and cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Now, Chinese researchers have revealed new off-label potential of semaglutide in preventing and treating arthritis through a study combining mouse and human samples. In the animal experiment stage, the research team divided obese mice with arthritis into two groups. The first group was injected with semaglutide to reduce appetite, and the second group did not receive drug treatment, but was fed exactly the same amount of food as the first group under strict control, thereby ensuring that the two groups of mice lost the same weight. The results showed that only mice injected with semaglutide showed slower cartilage degeneration, and bone spurs, joint inflammation and pain were also significantly reduced. This mechanism proves that the anti-arthritis effect is likely to come from the drug itself, rather than simply the physical reduction caused by weight loss.
In the human trial part, the research team divided 20 obese patients with knee arthritis into two groups. One group received only regular hyaluronic acid joint lubrication injections, while the other received semaglutide in addition to the injections. Follow-up after 24 weeks showed that only patients in the semaglutide treatment group achieved significant improvements in physical function scores and increased cartilage thickness by approximately 17%. Although the researchers admitted that this was a very small-scale preliminary trial and did not strictly control the weight loss variables of human patients (the BMI of the patients in the medication group dropped by about 8%, while the weight of the control group remained basically unchanged), this result still points to a valuable exploration direction for overcoming osteoarthritis and promoting cartilage regeneration.
Although Flavia Cicuttini, a scholar at Monash University in Australia, was not directly involved in the project, she led a systematic review study on the impact of GLP-1 drugs on osteoarthritis in 2025. She agreed with the results of this study and pointed out that obesity-induced osteoarthritis involves not only mechanical loading, but also metabolism-driven inflammation, and GLP-1 drugs can have a profound impact on cell metabolism and metabolism-driven inflammation. In addition to its potential anti-inflammatory effects, the researchers believe the drug's boost in cartilage regeneration stems from a chemical chain reaction that enhances the way cartilage cells produce energy, giving them the power to initiate a self-repair process.
The summary of the study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, emphasizes: "Energy regulation occurs throughout every stage of life. By fine-tuning energy metabolism, GLP-1 receptor agonists may exert system-wide benefits beyond blood sugar regulation. This precise regulation of metabolism may be the core reason why it shows great promise in a variety of diseases, including osteoarthritis."