Eli Lilly says its new diabetes drug was 94% effective in clinical trials

Eli Lilly will seek FDA approval of its new diabetes drug that also helps users lose weight - ConsumerAffairs

Users averaged a 22.9% decrease in body weight

Ozempic and Wegovy may have some new competition. Eli Lilly has announced that its new diabetes drug, Zepbound (tirzepatide), reduced the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 94% in prediabetic adults in a clinical trial.

Additionally, treatment with tirzepatide resulted in sustained weight loss through the treatment period, with adults on the 15 mg dose experiencing a 22.9% average decrease in body weight compared to 2.1% for placebo in adults with pre-diabetes and obesity or overweight at the end of the treatment period.

"Obesity is a chronic disease that puts nearly 900 million adults worldwide at an increased risk of other complications such as type 2 diabetes," said Jeff Emmick, senior vice president, product development at Lilly.

"Tirzepatide reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 94% and resulted in sustained weight loss over the three-year treatment period. These data reinforce the potential clinical benefits of long-term therapy for people living with obesity and pre-diabetes." 

The drug was evaluated in 1,032 adults who had pre-diabetes and were obese or overweight for a treatment period of 176 weeks. Preliminary results of the study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

But like other diabetes and weight loss drugs, consistent use may be a key to long-term success. During the 17-week off-treatment follow-up period, those who had stopped using tirzepatide began to regain weight and had some increase in the progression to type 2 diabetes, resulting in an 88% reduction in the risk of progression to type 2 diabetes compared to placebo.

How it works

Lilly says the drug, a GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist, works by activating the two hormone receptors. GLP-1 is a regulator of appetite and caloric intake. 

Nonclinical studies suggest the addition of GIP may further contribute to the regulation of food intake. 

Tirzepatide decreases calorie intake, and the effects are likely mediated by affecting appetite. In addition, tirzepatide stimulates insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner. Tirzepatide increases insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and these effects can lead to a reduction of blood glucose.

Eli Lilly said the next step is to seek approval of the drug from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.