A novel, peer-reviewed study found this week that GLP-1 drugs, commonly used for weight loss, are associated with a lower risk of dementia in older people with diabetes.

The study included real-world data from Sweden involving over 88,000 patients people 65 years of age or older with type 2 diabetes who were receiving GLP-1 agonists, oral antidiabetic agents, DPP-4 inhibitors, or sulfonylureas.

Researchers Bowen Tang and Sara Hägg from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute led the study, and its results were published in a medical journal Name of a scientific medical journal Thursday.

Dementia, a common neurological disorder associated with aging, disrupts daily activities due to its impact on memory and decision-making.

Only one therapy approved in the U.S., Biogen’s ( BIIB ) and Eisai’s ( OTCPK:ESALF ) ( OTCPK:ESAIY ) Leqembi, is indicated for the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease. A similar drug from Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) called donanemab is currently under FDA review.

Citing up to 10 years of follow-up data, the researchers noted that of 12,351 patients taking GLP-1, only 278 developed dementia.

In contrast, 1849 on DPP-4 inhibitors and 2,480 on sulfonylurea, 43,850 and 32,216 patients developed the disease, respectively.

Based on 1000 person-years, the corresponding incidence rates associated with these three drugs were 6.7, 11.8, and 13.7.

Data were collected from patients who started treatment from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2020, during which the most frequently prescribed GLP-1 agonist in Sweden was liraglutide, marketed by Novo Nordisk (NVO) under the name Saxenda.

“Our studies suggest that GLP-1 agonists are associated with a lower risk of dementia compared with sulfonylureas and DPP-4 inhibitors in older adults with T2DM,” the study authors wrote. They added that further clinical trials are needed to confirm their results.

It’s the latest evidence demonstrating the devastating power of GLP-1, a class of drugs including semaglutide and tirzepatide marketed by Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Eli Lilly (LLY) for weight loss and diabetes.

In March, Novo (NVO) received FDA approval to market semaglutide to reduce the risk of sedate cardiovascular events, such as stroke, in obese/overweight people. The Danish drugmaker has already proven its potential in the treatment of kidney diseases.

Meanwhile, studies are underway to test tirzepatide, a dual agonist at GIP and GLP-1 receptors, in patients with a liver disease called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), for which the first FDA-approved therapy, Rezdiffra, was only introduced in April.

Rezdiffra’s developer, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals (MDGL), was trading lower in February after LLY reported that its Phase 2 trial of tirzepatid was successful in NASH.

On Friday, LLY said it plans to expand the label of tirzepatid, a drug used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), later this year. Shares of MedTechs, ResMed (RMD), Philips (PHG) and Inspire Medical Systems (INSP), which sell devices for treating respiratory diseases, fell in reaction.