Eli Lilly’s weight-loss drug cut diabetes risk by 94% in three-year trial

Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in pre-diabetic and obese people by 94%, the US pharma firm said this week.

The positive results come from a three-year Surmount-1 study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of tirzepatide, found in Eli Lilly’s diabetes products Zepbound and Mounjaro, for long-term weight management and diabetes prevention, respectively.

The study followed 1,032 adults with pre-diabetes and obesity or overweight and found that participants experienced sustained weight loss throughout the treatment period, with those on the highest dose of 15 mg losing an average of 22.9% of their body weight.

“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 Eli Lilly.

Talking about the sustained weight loss over the three-year treatment period, Emmick also shared that this data reinforces the potential impact that medication like this could have on the lives of millions of people that are living with obesity and pre-diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), in 2021, 9.1% of the world’s population, roughly 464 million people, had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), a condition known as prediabetes, along with 5.8% of the global population, about 298 million people, that had impaired fasting glucose (IFG), also a term used to describe pre-diabetes.

Both IGT and IFG show a higher-than-normal blood sugar level, which increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Projections suggest that these rates will continue to rise, as the ADA projected a 10% prevalence of IGT and 6.5% of IFG by 2045. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) also offered a similar forecast, predicting 11.4% with IGT and 6.9% with IFG by 2045.

The IDF also anticipated the most significant increases in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions.

Tirzepatide is a dual hormone agonist that works by activating both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors.

This mechanism of action helps to regulate appetite, increase insulin sensitivity, and reduce blood sugar levels.

The overall safety profile of tirzepatide was found to be consistent with previous studies, with the most common side effects being gastrointestinal-related.

“These topline results provide evidence for reduced risk of progression to type 2 diabetes and long-term maintenance of weight loss with tirzepatide in adults with pre-diabetes and obesity or overweight,” said Eli Lilly.