ERS: Semaglutide May Reduce Risk for Exacerbations of Airway Diseases

THURSDAY, Sept. 10, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Semaglutide is associated with a significant reduction in airway exacerbations in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study presented at the annual congress of the European Respiratory Society, held from Sept. 5 to 9 in Barcelona, Spain.

Bohee Lee, Ph.D., from Imperial College London, and colleagues used electronic health record data to compare the effectiveness of newer versus older glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists on asthma and COPD exacerbations. The analysis included 20,000 to 22,000 people who started taking each type of GLP-1 treatment or initiating sulfonylureas.

The researchers found that semaglutide initiation was associated with fewer exacerbations (weighted hazard ratio [wHR], 0.76; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.60 to 0.96). At higher doses, associations were stronger (low-dose: wHR, 0.75; 95 percent CI, 0.58 to 0.95; medium/high-dose: wHR 0.28; 95 percent CI, 0.08 to 1.01). Associations also were more pronounced in asthma (asthma: wHR, 0.20; 95 percent CI, 0.05 to 0.78; COPD: wHR 0.76; 95 percent CI, 0.58 to 1.00). There were no associations seen for liraglutide, dulaglutide, or exenatide, regardless of dose or type of lung disease.

“We need clinical trials that include respiratory outcomes, such as asthma attacks, COPD exacerbations, lung function, symptoms, and quality of life, to determine whether metabolic treatments could become part of a broader, more personalized approach to managing airways disease,” lead author Chloe Bloom, M.B.Ch.B., Ph.D., also from Imperial College London, said in a statement.

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