6
NEWS
Barker at Buck Pal
In May, Spirit Health's founder and CEO Chris Barker attended the King's
Garden Party at Buckingham Palace which was held as a celebration of
people making a positive impact across the UK. He was invited in recognition
of the work Spirit Health is doing to improve lives through innovative
healthcare solutions for conditions like diabetes.
Reflecting on the day, Barker commented, "It was a real privilege, both
an amazing experience and a reminder of how many people out there are
quietly doing brilliant things to make the world a bit better. At Spirit we're
proud to see our work recognised at this level - and even prouder of the
passionate team behind it."
www.spirit-health.com
Tirzepatide for T1D and obesity
A new study has shown that the longterm use of
tirzepatide in people with
Type 1 diabetes who are overweight
results in significant weight loss as
well as marked improvements in A1C,
time in range, and risk factors for
heart and kidney disease.
Though life-changing medications
like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy)
and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound)
are only approved at present in the
UK for those with Type 2 diabetes,
a growing body of evidence is also
showing the potential benefits for
people living with Type 1 diabetes.
The results from a new study on
tirzepatide for people with Type 1
diabetes were presented recently
at the ATTD 2025 conference.
During the study, 84 adults with
Type 1 diabetes and overweight
or obesity were given tirzepatide.
After 21 months, participants
experienced 23% weight loss
and sustained improvements in
glucose management. There were
also significant improvements in
cardiovascular and renal biomarkers
such as blood pressure, cholesterol,
triglycerides, and eGFR (a marker
of kidney function). At the end of 21
months, participants saw roughly a
16-fold decrease in the amount of
total daily insulin needed.
Although this was not a clinical
trial, this study is especially
important as 67% of people with Type
1 diabetes have overweight or obesity,
yet no weight loss medications are
currently approved for them. Both
diabetes and obesity increase the
risk for long-term complications;
together, the risk is even higher.
Weight loss drugs show increasing benefit in
skin disease
Emerging data about the benefits of
the newer weight-loss drugs for some
chronic skin conditions suggests
their potential use in dermatology,
as well as a role for dermatologists in
obesity management.
Glucagon like peptide 1 receptor
agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications began
as treatments for Type 2 diabetes
(T2D), then emerged as weight-loss
drugs. The newer generation of these
medications, semaglutide (Ozempic
and Rybelsus for T2D, Wegovy for
weight reduction) and the dual GLP1/
glucose-dependent insulinotropic
polypeptide agonist tirzepatide
(Mounjaro for T2D, Zepbound for
weight), are even more potent for
both conditions than their firstgeneration
predecessors.
More recently, semaglutide and
tirzepatide have also shown benefits
in studies of a wide range of other
conditions, including those of the
skin. Data suggest that they can
improve symptoms of hidradenitis
suppurativa (HS) and promote
wound healing. The GLP-1 RA drugs
may also impart independent antiinflammatory
properties. Moreover,
GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1 Rs) have been
identified in the skin, suggesting yet
another independent mechanism.
"Dermatologists can think about
prescribing these drugs beyond just
a cosmetic outcome. They may be
useful for patients with diabetes
or obesity who have trouble with
wound healing. That's really exciting,"
Dermatologist Naiem T. Issa, MD,
PhD, told Medscape Medical News.
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