Experimental Lilly drug reaches surgery-level weight loss
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A next-generation obesity drug from Eli Lilly reached a new level of weight loss in a late clinical trial, matching levels generally seen in those who've had bariatric surgery, company officials said Thursday.
Why it matters: The results challenge assumptions of how much the drugs can achieve and could help Lilly reinforce its position at the front of an increasingly competitive market.
By the numbers: The phase 3 trial of retatrutide — a first-in-class injectable drug which includes GLP-1, GIP and glucagon hormones — found participants were able to achieve weight loss of about 28% over roughly 18 months.
- Nearly half (45%) were able to lose at least 30% or more of their body weight, a level associated with bariatric surgery.
- With a lower amount of the drug, trial participants lost roughly 19% of their body weight.
- Roughly 11% of patients on the top dose discontinued the drug due to adverse events, which Ken Custer, executive vice president and president at Lilly Cardiometabolic Health, said is "in line" with studies of anti-obesity drugs.
- Lilly's top-selling Zepbound delivered 21% average weight loss in late-stage trials, while Novo Nordisk's Wegovy produced about 15%.
The results add to expectations that next-generation obesity drugs could reshape the treatment of related conditions like diabetes, heart disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
- But analysts and providers are still closely watching whether the more dramatic weight loss comes with tradeoffs around tolerability, muscle loss and long-term safety.
What they're saying: "We do seem to be raising the bar on peak weight loss and expect that glucagon is what's helping drive that," Custer told Axios.
- "Now we're really into the realm of body weight loss that has historically been reserved to bariatric surgery, and now we can unlock that with a medicine that's far less invasive."
What's next: The company still has two late-stage trials of the drug underway. If they're successful, Lilly plans to submit for FDA approval as early as the end of the year.
