rethinkPeptides Search
Menu
Home / Research library
Study breakdown

Real-World Oral Semaglutide Study in Saudi Arabia Shows 1% HbA1c and 4.4 kg Weight Reduction

RPEP-151382026ElBadawi, Hussein; Albalkhi, Nader; Al Kadhim, Ibrahim; Elsadig, Ahmed; Baltzis, Dimitrios; Hatahet, Mohamed Hassan; Ismail, Mahmoud; Khader, Said; Rasmussen, Christina Louise; Scheuer, Stine Hedegaard; Shalaby, Ahmed; Almehthel, Mohammed
evidence
The takeaway

In 192 Saudi adults with type 2 diabetes, oral semaglutide reduced HbA1c by 1.0% and weight by 4.4 kg over 34-44 weeks with high treatment satisfaction and favorable safety.

62% reached HbA1c <7%

Nearly two-thirds of Saudi patients achieved target blood sugar control on oral semaglutide in real-world conditions

What the researchers found

Oral semaglutide reduced HbA1c by -1.0% (p<0.0001), body weight by -4.4 kg (p<0.0001), and waist circumference by -4.3 cm (p<0.0001), with 61.9% achieving HbA1c <7% and significant treatment satisfaction improvement.

Why it matters

Real-world data from Middle Eastern populations complement clinical trials and confirm oral semaglutide's effectiveness across diverse ethnic and dietary contexts.

How the study worked

34-44 week multicenter prospective open-label real-world study in 192 Saudi adults with T2D initiating oral semaglutide, using DTSQs/DTSQc satisfaction measures.

What this study cannot tell us

Open-label, no control group. Only 139 of 192 completed the study. Half switched away from oral semaglutide by end of study.

How to read the evidence

Prospective observational study in real-world conditions. No control group but consistent with global PIONEER REAL program results.

When this study was published

Published in 2025.

The bigger picture

Saudi Arabia has one of the highest diabetes prevalence rates globally. Demonstrating oral semaglutide's effectiveness in this population supports its adoption in the region.

Questions still open

  • Why did half the patients switch away from oral semaglutide?
  • How do these results compare to injectable GLP-1 drugs in the Saudi population?
  • Does dietary pattern (Middle Eastern cuisine) affect oral semaglutide effectiveness?

Common questions

Does oral semaglutide work for Middle Eastern diabetes patients?
Yes, this Saudi study confirmed that oral semaglutide effectively reduces blood sugar and weight in Middle Eastern patients with type 2 diabetes, with results consistent with global studies.
Is oral semaglutide as good as the injection?
Oral semaglutide provides meaningful blood sugar and weight benefits, though the injectable forms (Ozempic, Wegovy) generally show larger effects. The oral form offers the convenience of a pill for patients who prefer not to inject.

Read the original research

PIONEER REAL Saudi Arabia: A multicentre, prospective, real-world study of once-daily oral semaglutide use in adults with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia.

Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 28(2), 1304-1314

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

ElBadawi, Hussein; Albalkhi, Nader; Al Kadhim, Ibrahim; Elsadig, Ahmed; Baltzis, Dimitrios; Hatahet, Mohamed Hassan; Ismail, Mahmoud; Khader, Said; Rasmussen, Christina Louise; Scheuer, Stine Hedegaard; Shalaby, Ahmed; Almehthel, Mohammed. (2026). PIONEER REAL Saudi Arabia: A multicentre, prospective, real-world study of once-daily oral semaglutide use in adults with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia.. Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 28(2), 1304-1314. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.70317