GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Mounjaro® and Zepbound™ are already headline news for diabetes and weight loss. Now they’re at the center of a much bigger question: could the same class of drugs help slow Alzheimer’s disease?
Two large, global Phase 3 trials—EVOKE and EVOKE+—are testing whether semaglutide, a GLP-1 drug, can slow early Alzheimer’s. Results expected later this year could shape how doctors think about treating the disease for years to come.
Quick Refresher: What Are GLP-1s?
GLP-1 receptor agonists are medicines that help the body regulate blood sugar. They were first developed for type 2 diabetes and later approved for weight management.
You might recognize these names:
- Semaglutide – Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Rybelsus®
- Liraglutide – Victoza®, Saxenda®
- Tirzepatide – Mounjaro®, Zepbound™
Beyond blood sugar and weight, GLP-1s also act on the brain and nervous system. Early research suggests they may:
- Reduce brain inflammation
- Improve blood vessel health
- Support neuronal survival and signaling PMC+2Frontiers+2
Those effects are exactly what scientists are hoping to harness against Alzheimer’s, where chronic inflammation and damaged brain cells drive memory loss and cognitive decline.
EVOKE & EVOKE+: The Big Semaglutide Alzheimer’s Trials
EVOKE and EVOKE+ are the first large, phase 3 trials to test whether a GLP-1 drug can change the course of early, symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease.
Here’s the basic idea:
- Who’s enrolled? Adults 55–85 with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s, confirmed with amyloid testing.
- What’s being tested? Once-daily oral semaglutide vs. placebo.
- What’s the goal? See if semaglutide can slow cognitive decline and functional loss, and explore its effects on brain markers and inflammation.
If the results are positive, semaglutide could become the first GLP-1 repurposed for Alzheimer’s—and because it’s already approved for other conditions, access could move faster than for a brand-new drug.
Novo Nordisk would still need to submit data to the FDA and other regulators, who would carefully review both benefits and safety before deciding how, and for whom, the drug could be prescribed.
Beyond Semaglutide: A Growing Brain-Health Pipeline
Semaglutide may be the first GLP-1 in large Alzheimer’s trials, but it isn’t the only one on researchers’ radar:
- Liraglutide – Early work suggests it may improve blood flow, reduce inflammation and lower dementia risk in some groups
- Tirzepatide – A newer drug that combines GLP-1 with another hormone pathway is being explored for potential brain benefits in early studies.
- Next-generation GLP-1s – Scientists are designing new molecules that might cross into the brain more efficiently or target multiple pathways at once.
- Combination therapies – Future trials may test GLP-1s alongside anti-amyloid antibodies and other emerging treatments, aiming to hit Alzheimer’s from several angles at once.
Together, these efforts are building a potential new class of metabolism-and-brain medicines that could one day sit alongside current Alzheimer’s therapies.
What This Means for Families Right Now
While the science is promising, it’s important to stay grounded about what GLP-1s can and cannot do today for Alzheimer’s:
- Don’t start or stop GLP-1s on your own. The version of semaglutide used in EVOKE/EVOKE+ is not yet approved for Alzheimer’s treatment. Any decision to use GLP-1s should be guided by a healthcare provider and based on current indications (diabetes, obesity), not Alzheimer’s.
- More data is essential. Until the full trial results are released and independently reviewed, no one can say for sure how effective—or how safe—GLP-1s are for people with early Alzheimer’s.
- Stay informed. Organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association will share updates when EVOKE results come out, along with plain-language explanations you can bring to your next doctor’s visit.
- Consider clinical trials. If you or a loved one is living with cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s, participating in research (through services like TrialMatch or local memory clinics) is still one of the most powerful ways to move new treatments forward.
For now, GLP-1s remain an exciting “maybe” in the Alzheimer’s toolbox—full of potential, but still waiting on proof. The coming trial readouts will tell us whether these familiar diabetes and weight-loss drugs can also help protect something far more precious: our memories.
