TL;DR
Get health and wellness essentials delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
In the phase III TRIUMPH-2 trial, adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes taking retatrutide lost an average of 11.9% to 18.8% of their body weight by week 80, depending on dose, compared with 5.1% with placebo. The investigational drug also lowered HbA1c, but it is not approved, and the trial did not compare it directly with other weight-loss medicines.
Adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes who received retatrutide in a phase III trial lost an average of up to 18.8% of their body weight over 80 weeks, compared with 5.1% among those given placebo, according to results from the TRIUMPH-2 study. The investigational drug also improved blood sugar measures, but it has not been approved for use.
The trial included 1,152 participants randomized to once-weekly injections of retatrutide at 4 mg, 9 mg or 12 mg, or placebo. At week 80, average weight loss in the treatment-regimen analysis was 11.9% with 4 mg, 16.8% with 9 mg and 18.8% with 12 mg. The placebo group lost an average of 5.1%. The reported pound figures were 28.4, 40.3 and 45.6 pounds for the three retatrutide doses, and 12.8 pounds for placebo.
In a separate efficacy analysis that assumes participants followed the study regimen without certain treatment interruptions, average loss with the highest dose reached 20.8%. Juan P. Frias, who presented the findings at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting, said more than half of participants in that analysis lost over 15% of their body weight. The results were published at the same time in The Lancet.
Retatrutide also reduced HbA1c, a measure of average blood glucose, by 1.38 to 1.50 percentage points across the three dose groups, compared with a 0.45-point reduction with placebo. Up to 40% of participants receiving retatrutide reached an HbA1c below 5.7%, the study report said. The trial also recorded improvements in several other cardiometabolic measures, including waist circumference, triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.
Weight Loss in Diabetes Care
The results address an unmet need for weight-loss treatments in people with type 2 diabetes, who have historically lost less weight in treatment studies than people without diabetes. The study authors said more effective weight reduction is needed for people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. The upper-dose findings suggest retatrutide may produce substantial weight loss in this population, while also improving blood sugar measures.
Those results do not establish how retatrutide compares with currently available medicines. The trial had no active-comparator group, so it cannot show whether the drug is more effective than other treatments. The study also did not measure body composition in a way that could determine how much weight lost was fat versus lean mass. Those limitations matter when interpreting the potential benefits for patients and clinicians.
weight loss injections for diabetes
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How TRIUMPH-2 Was Conducted
TRIUMPH-2 was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted at 92 medical and research centers in eight countries. Participants had a body mass index of at least 27, type 2 diabetes with HbA1c between 6.5% and 10.5%, and stable background glucose-lowering treatment. Their average BMI at the start was 38.2, and median diabetes duration was 5.6 years.
Retatrutide is an investigational medicine that activates three hormone receptors: GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon. Frias said engaging these pathways may help explain the weight-loss results. The trial report noted that the 18.8% average loss with the highest dose in its treatment-regimen analysis was below the 28.3% reported in TRIUMPH-1, which studied people without diabetes. That cross-trial comparison is not a direct head-to-head test.
“We know that people with type 2 diabetes lose less weight than people without diabetes.”
— Juan P. Frias, MD, of the Los Angeles Institute for Metabolic Research
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Safety and Evidence Gaps
Gastrointestinal problems, mainly nausea, diarrhea and constipation, were the most common adverse events. Discontinuation because of gastrointestinal symptoms was reported in 0% to 2% of retatrutide participants and 1% of placebo participants. Overall, 3% to 11% of participants in the retatrutide groups stopped study treatment because of adverse events, compared with 5% in the placebo group. Hypotension and dysesthesia occurred more often in the retatrutide groups.
Seven participants died during the trial. The study report said the deaths were judged unrelated to the study interventions. The available results do not settle how the drug’s benefits and risks compare with other medicines over longer periods. The absence of an active comparator and body-composition data also leaves important questions unanswered. These are trial findings, not a treatment recommendation; decisions about diabetes or obesity care should be made with a qualified health professional.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
FDA Filing Planned for 2027
Eli Lilly said it plans to submit the trial data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an approval application in early 2027. Retatrutide remains investigational, and the trial results alone do not establish that regulators will approve it. Further review will assess the submitted evidence, including safety and effectiveness, before any decision about availability.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
How much weight did participants lose?
At week 80, average weight loss ranged from 11.9% with the 4-mg dose to 18.8% with the 12-mg dose in the treatment-regimen analysis. The placebo group lost an average of 5.1%.
Did retatrutide improve blood sugar?
Yes. Average HbA1c fell by 1.38 to 1.50 percentage points across the retatrutide dose groups, compared with a 0.45-point drop with placebo.
Is retatrutide approved?
No. It is an investigational drug. Eli Lilly has said it plans to submit data to the FDA for an approval application in early 2027.
How common were treatment side effects?
Gastrointestinal events, including nausea, diarrhea and constipation, were the most frequent adverse events. Overall, 3% to 11% of participants in the retatrutide groups discontinued treatment because of adverse events, compared with 5% in the placebo group.
Was retatrutide compared directly with other weight-loss drugs?
No. TRIUMPH-2 compared retatrutide with placebo, not another active medicine. Comparisons with results from separate trials should not be treated as direct evidence that one drug is more effective than another.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
