Exenatide once weekly slows gastric emptying of solids and liquids in healthy, overweight people at steady‐state concentrations

Abstract Aims To evaluate the effects of 8 weeks’ administration of exenatide (EXE) once weekly on gastric emptying of solids and liquids (using the “gold standard” technique, scintigraphy), glucose absorption and postprandial glycaemia in healthy people. Material and methods A total of 32 healthy participants were randomized to receive either EXE once weekly (2 mg/wk subcutaneously; six men, 10 women, mean age 59.9 ± 0.9 years, mean body mass index [BMI] 29.6 ± 0.6 kg/m 2 ) or matching placebo (PBO; six men, 10 women, mean age 60.6 ± 1.2 years, mean BMI 29.5 ± 1.0 kg/m 2 ) for 8 weeks. Gastric emptying, nausea (visual analogue scale), and plasma glucose, insulin, C‐peptide and glucagon were measured for 120 min after a solid/liquid meal, comprising 100 g ground beef (radiolabelled with 20 MBq 99m Tc‐sulphur colloid) and 150 mL 10% glucose (radiolabelled with 7 MBq 67 Ga‐EDTA), and containing 5 g 3‐O‐methyl‐glucose (3‐OMG) as a marker of glucose absorption, at baseline and after 8 weeks’ treatment. Results The study treatments were well tolerated. Scores for nausea were consistently low, with no difference between the EXE once weekly and PBO groups. EXE once weekly slowed gastric emptying of solids (area under the curve [AUC] 0–120min : P < 0.05) and liquids (AUC 0–120min : P = 0.01) substantially, and attenuated glucose absorption (3‐OMG incremental AUC [iAUC] 0–30min : P = 0.001) and the postprandial rise in plasma glucose (iAUC 0–30min : P = 0.008). Plasma glucagon at 2 h was reduced by EXE once weekly ( P = 0.001). The magnitude of the reduction in plasma glucose at t = 30 min from baseline to 8 weeks with EXE once weekly was related inversely to the 50% emptying time of the glucose drink ( r = −0.55, P = 0.03). Conclusions In healthy participants, 8 weeks’ administration of the “long‐acting” glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist EXE, slowed gastric emptying of solids and liquids substantially, with consequent reductions in glucose absorption and postprandial glycaemia.