Cardiometabolic & kidneyRandomised controlled trial
Semaglutide promotes bone marrow–derived progenitor cell flux towards an anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative profile in high-risk patients: the SEMA-VR CardioLink-15 trial
- Randomised controlled trial
- translational
Authors' conclusion
In people living with either type 2 diabetes or obesity plus ASCVD risk, semaglutide increased circulating VR cell content while reducing pro-inflammatory granulocyte precursors and cytokine production.
Study context
- Population
- T2DM and/or obesity plus atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) or ASCVD risk factors
- Participants
- 46 participants
- Comparison
- Semaglutide vs usual care
- Semaglutiden = 22
- Usual caren = 24reference
- Primary endpoint
- Change in vascular regenerative (VR) cell content
- Follow-up
- 6 months
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Change in VR cells (ALDHhiSSClow) from baseline
Usual care
+0.8%
Semaglutide
+34.8%
P = 0.036
Further findings
| Outcome | Semaglutide | Usual care | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pan-haematopoietic myeloid progenitors (ALDHhiSSClowCD45+), change from baseline | +40.1% | +2.8% | P = 0.017 |
| Endothelial precursors (ALDHhiSSClowCD34+ CD133+ CD45-), change from baseline | +66.2% | −2.3% | P = 0.037 |
| Granulocyte precursors (ALDHhiSSChi), change from baseline | −50.8% | +0.3% | P = 0.002 |
- Granulocyte precursors (ALDHhiSSChi), change from baseline: particularly those expressing CD66b and CXCR2
Serum proteins in pro-inflammatory TNF and interleukin signalling pathways
- Down-regulated by semaglutide
Original publication
Semaglutide promotes bone marrow–derived progenitor cell flux towards an anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative profile in high-risk patients: the SEMA-VR CardioLink-15 trial. Eur Heart J. Published 31 August 2025. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf690
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it