Could this drug be the next Ozempic? Lilly reports dramatic trial results

With millions of Americans now taking GLP-1 medications, Eli Lilly says a new experimental drug could deliver more than double the weight loss seen with current treatments.

Eli Lilly on Wednesday released Phase 3 trial results for retatrutide, an investigational drug for obesity and Type 2 diabetes. According to the company, participants taking retatrutide lost nearly 20% to 21% of their body weight over 80 weeks, more than twice the weight loss achieved by participants taking Ozempic.

People taking retatrutide lost an average of 44 to 47 pounds during the study, compared with about 21 pounds for those taking Ozempic.

The drug also produced greater reductions in A1C, a key measure of blood sugar control, than Ozempic in adults with Type 2 diabetes.

Ozempic is approved to treat Type 2 diabetes, though its active ingredient, semaglutide, is also sold under the brand name Wegovy for chronic weight management.

Lilly said retatrutide could become a major new treatment option for Type 2 diabetes, obesity and related cardiometabolic conditions if it receives regulatory approval.

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The company plans to submit the drug for regulatory approval in 2027.

Like Ozempic, retatrutide works by reducing appetite and helping regulate blood sugar. However, retatrutide also targets an additional hormone pathway that may increase energy expenditure and fat burning while continuing to suppress appetite.

The most common side effects reported in the trial were gastrointestinal, including nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.

"Based on these results and those from across our Phase 3 program, we believe retatrutide, if approved, could shift the treatment paradigm for people living with Type 2 diabetes, obesity and related cardiometabolic conditions," said Kenneth Custer, president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health.

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