Semaglutide Linked to Fewer Asthma Attacks and COPD Flare-Ups, Study Finds

People with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who started taking the weight loss and diabetes medication semaglutide had fewer breathing attacks than similar people taking an older type of diabetes drug, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

The study found that semaglutide was linked to nearly 40% fewer asthma attacks and about 20% fewer COPD flare-ups. The researchers stressed, however, that the findings are early and should not prompt anyone to start the medication for a lung condition.

A closer look at real-world health records

Semaglutide belongs to a class of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are widely used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. Both conditions are common among people living with asthma and COPD, and excess weight can make breathing conditions harder to manage.

To explore whether these medications might also affect lung health, researchers led by Chloe Bloom, Ph.D., M.Sc., clinical associate professor in respiratory epidemiology at the National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, analyzed electronic health records from the United Kingdom.

The team ran four parallel studies, each including 20,000 to 22,000 people with asthma or COPD. They compared people who started a GLP-1 medication with those who started a sulfonylurea, a different type of diabetes medicine. The goal was to see whether GLP-1 drugs were associated with fewer sudden respiratory attacks, the flare-ups that can send people to urgent care or the hospital.

Semaglutide stood out among GLP-1 drugs

Overall, people with asthma or COPD who were prescribed GLP-1 medications appeared to have fewer asthma attacks and COPD flare-ups than those prescribed other diabetes medicines. Semaglutide showed the strongest effect.

“The effect was strongest with semaglutide, especially in people with asthma,” Bloom said.

Among people with asthma, semaglutide was associated with a nearly 40% reduction in asthma attacks. Among people with COPD, it was associated with a 20% reduction in flare-ups.

Encouraging, but not a reason to change treatment

Because the study used existing health records rather than a randomized clinical trial, it can show only an association, not that semaglutide directly caused the drop in attacks. Other differences between the groups that weren’t captured in the records could have played a role.

The researchers were clear that people with asthma or COPD should not start a GLP-1 medication for their lungs outside current prescribing guidance.

“The findings from this study are encouraging, but they should not change treatment decisions on their own,” Bloom said.

Alexander Mathioudakis, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the ERS Group on Airway Pharmacology and Treatment and senior lecturer in respiratory medicine at the University of Manchester, who was not involved in the research, said the size of the study makes it notable.

“This is one of the largest real-world studies to investigate GLP-1 receptor agonists and airways disease,” he said.

Mathioudakis called for clinical trials that measure respiratory outcomes, including asthma attacks, COPD flare-ups, lung function and quality of life, to confirm whether these medications offer a true benefit.