Still riding high on the approval of its dual-targeting GIP/GLP-1 injection Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, Eli Lilly continues to forage the path ahead with the drug, sharing new analyses that continues to build a strong case for it as a weight loss injection for obese patients.
Eli Lilly presented the latest data from trials evaluating tirzepatide for weight loss at the American Diabetes Association’s 82nd Scientific Sessions.
Results showed that individuals who were obese or overweight, did not have type 2 diabetes and that received 5 mg of tirzepatide lost an average of 16 percent or 35 pounds, those on the 10 mg dose lost an average of 21.4 percent or 49 pounds and the highest 15 mg dose led to an average weight loss of 22.5 percent or 52 pounds.
Strikingly, nearly 40 percent of participants lost a quarter of their body weight, shared coauthor Dr. Ania Jastreboff, co-director of the Yale Center for Weight Management in a media briefing.
The new data comes just a month after Lilly first shared results from its late-stage SURMOUNT-1 trial, which showed tirzepatide led to an average weight loss of 50 pounds, or 21 percent, compared to placebo.
Related: Tirzepatide Obesity Drug Shown to Reduce Body Weight by 20 Percent in Eli Lilly Trial
In the Phase III SURMOUNT-1 trial, tirzepatide met both its primary endpoints of helping patients achieve a superior mean percent change in body weight from baseline, and helping a greater percentage of patients reach at least five percent body weight reduction compared to placebo — 89 percent of patients on the low dose of tirzepatide and 96 percent on the higher doses achieved at least five percent weight loss versus only 28 percent of patients in the placebo group.
The weight loss injection also led to marked decreases in waist circumference: 5 mg of tirzepatide led to a 14.6 cm reduction, 10 mg a 19.4 cm decrease and 15 mg trimmed off 19.9 cm.
Results of the study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine this month.
To put the weight loss results in perspective, Dr. Robert Gabbay, chief medical officer of the American Diabetes Association, told CNN that, “The weight loss that they got in this study was even greater than what had been seen in the previous studies of people with diabetes.”
He explained, “The middle range of weight loss for people in this new study was 49 pounds — 49 pounds is a lot… it’s the range of weight loss that we typically think only possible through surgery.”
The burgeoning positive data for tirzepatide as a weight loss injection is looking to give Novo Nordisk’s reigning obesity shot Wegovy (single GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide) the competition that it has been promising.
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Lilly also presented analyses from a Phase I mechanism of action study evaluating tirzepatide in adults with type 2 diabetes. Exploratory analysis of the study data showed that tirzepatide led to significant fat mass reductions compared to placebo and semaglutide (1 mg).
In addition, taking both tirzepatide 15 mg and semaglutide 1 mg resulted in significant reductions from baseline in energy intake (-348.4 kcal and -284.1 kcal, respectively) as well as reductions in appetite ratings.
Furthermore, a post-hoc analysis of five studies within the SURPASS global registration program showed that between 87 percent and 97 percent of participants taking tirzepatide experienced both A1C and weight reductions.
Tirzepatide’s continuing stellar trial results as a weight loss injection have industry analysts putting up big predictions for the drug, particularly as a rival to Novo’s obesity drug Wegovy (tirzepatide is currently only approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes under the trade name Mounjaro). SVB Securities Research analysts expect tirzepatide sales to hit $14.1 billion in 2030 while Evaluate Vantage has put forth a target of $4.9 billion in sales by 2026.
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