New weight loss drug retatrutide showing promising results in Eli Lilly phase 2 study
Losing weight these days may be that much easier, thanks to a new crop of drugs that are helping people take off the pounds.
An Eli Lilly and Company drug in development that's showing positive results could enter the field in the future. The drug retatrutide showed an average reduction of 58 pounds for those who took the drug for almost a year, according to phase 2 results published Monday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is retatrutide?
Retatrutide is one of Lilly’s latest wonder drug developments, another potential treatment among the many the company has invested in to help reduce obesity.
The phase 2 results translated to an average weight loss reduction of up to 24% of body weight over 11 months, and Lilly scientists say longer studies could show that number to be higher. The company plans to extend the study period in the phase 3 trial to examine the drug’s full potential.
Other improvements noticed during the trial included lowered blood sugar levels and improved cholesterol levels.
“We are now in the midst of a rapidly expanding therapeutic landscape of potential highly effective treatment options for individuals with obesity," said Dr. Ania Jastreboff, the paper's first author and associate professor of medicine and pediatrics, endocrinology and metabolism at Yale School of Medicine, in a news release.
The most common side effects of the drug were gastrointestinal issues, which ranged from mild to moderate in severity and usually appeared as doses increased.
More: 'The future is accessibility' Pills for weight loss to soon replace injectables like Wegovy
How does it compare to other drugs like Ozempic?
Lilly is actively competing with other drug companies to develop life-altering weight loss drugs. The market for these new drugs is widening, and could reach $100 billion by 2030, possibly $200 billion in the next decade, according to a note from Barclays Bank.
Lilly competitor Novo Nordisk has developed popular weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy that are making national headlines.
Ozempic is currently only available as a once-weekly injection, but Novo Nordisk announced Sunday its pill version of the drug saw around a 15% weight reduction in clinical trials.
Although other drug trials have produced exciting results, on its current trajectory, Lilly’s retatrutide has been shown to be one of the strongest leaders in clinical trials among the weight loss drugs in terms of average weight reduction.
More: GLP-1 weight loss drugs are having a moment. Amid Wegovy, Ozempic craze will results last?
What other weight loss drugs is Lilly developing?
Retatrutide is not Lilly’s only weight loss drug. Tirzepatide has already received FDA approval under the brand name Mounjaro to improve glucose control in those with type 2 diabetes, along with diet and exercise.Now the company is seeking FDA approval for chronic weight management for tirzepatide. A recent study in The Lancet showed a mean weight reduction of 15.7% for adults with obesity in published phase 3 results.
Another drug, orforglipron, has also made strides, as results published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed the drug produced an average weight reduction of 14.7% at 36 weeks. Lilly says the results show this could be a once-daily pill that could be taken without food or water restrictions.
"We recognize that obesity is a global epidemic and there is a need for a variety of effective medications and administration routes," said Dr. Sean Wharton, director at Wharton Medical Clinic who has participated in trials of orforglipron, in a news release.
Contact IndyStar reporter Nic Napier at nnapier@gannett.com or at 317-879-6885
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Eli Lilly weight loss drug retatrutide: What you need to know
