Padova-Led STEP Pooled 65+ Analysis at ECO 2026: Semaglutide 2.4 mg Delivered 15.4% Weight Loss vs 5.1% Placebo, 28.6% of Older Adults Hit ≥20%
Prof. Luca Busetto (University of Padova) and colleagues will present at ECO 2026 a pooled subgroup analysis of 358 adults aged 65 and older (mean age 69, 72% women) drawn from STEP 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 — 248 received semaglutide 2.4 mg, 110 placebo. The semaglutide arm lost 15.4% body weight on average vs 5.1% on placebo; 46.8% of semaglutide users hit ≥15% weight loss vs 6.4% on placebo, and 28.6% reached ≥20% vs 2.7%. Waist circumference fell 14.3 cm vs 6.0 cm. 27% on semaglutide reached a healthy BMI (<27) vs 5.5%. Serious adverse events occurred in 19.0% on semaglutide vs 12.7% on placebo. The analysis complements Lilly's ECO 2026 orforglipron 65+ subgroup analysis from ATTAIN-1 and ATTAIN-2 — both filling the geriatric data gap for the first generation of mainstream obesity drugs.