Galaxy Watch 8 44mm silver model. Samsung Electronics
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Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) is partnering with a Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospital to address side effects of GLP-1 obesity drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro. The goal is to curb muscle loss using the precision sensors of the Galaxy Watch8.
Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it is conducting a joint study with the Diabetes Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) on patients taking GLP-1 class therapeutics.
GLP-1 has emerged as a sought-after obesity treatment in the global pharmaceutical and biotech market thanks to its strong appetite-suppressing effects. However, discontinuation of the drugs can trigger rebound weight gain, and significant muscle loss accompanying weight reduction has been flagged as a serious side effect.
As the importance of preserving muscle mass during treatment came into focus, MGH — which has concentrated on diabetes and obesity research — took note of the Galaxy Watch’s precise body composition measurement capabilities and was the first to propose the clinical study. The study will deploy the Galaxy Watch8, equipped with Samsung’s BioActive Sensor that integrates three precision sensors: optical heart rate, electrical heart rate, and bioelectrical impedance.
The clinical trial will be conducted on 100 adult men and women undergoing weight loss, divided into two groups. The experimental group will be provided with Galaxy Watch8 devices offering body composition monitoring, physical activity tracking, and personalized exercise guidance. Researchers will then use dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans, the medical industry’s standard equipment, to precisely compare and analyze muscle mass changes against a control group that did not use the Galaxy Watch.
The medical and IT industries expect the study to serve as a turning point that expands the role of smartwatches into full-scale disease management. “This is practical research focused on the muscle loss patients actually face and on improving lifestyle habits,” said Choi Jong-min, vice president of Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Experience (MX) Business. “It is a flagship example of Samsung’s efforts to provide comprehensive health management solutions.”