Lilly's New Drug Yields Dramatic Weight Loss, Rivaling Bariatric Surgery, GLP-1s

A new experimental weight loss drug from Eli Lilly shows dramatic results that rival current GLP-1 drugs and bariatric surgery. Image Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images Eli Lilly recently announced phase 3 trial results for a promising new weight loss drug retatrutide. The dramatic results from the TRIUMPH-1 trial represent the greatest weight loss observed in a medication trial, rivaling current GLP-1 drugs and bariatric surgery. Retatrutide is a triple hormone receptor agonist that activates receptors for glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and glucagon. Retatrutide led to significant improvements across various cardiovascular risk factors, including waist circumference, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Eli Lilly’s new experimental weight loss drug retatrutide showed the greatest weight loss in a medication trial to date. The phase 3 results of the TRIUMPH-1 trial showed the drug yielded up to 28% weight loss, with some participants losing up to 85 pounds. Retatrutide is a triple hormone agonist administered by once-weekly injection. The drug activates glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and glucagon, whereas weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy activate only the GLP-1 receptor. Lilly noted in a press release that at 80 weeks, all the doses of retatrutide “met the primary and key secondary endpoints for obesity, delivering clinically meaningful weight loss.” “TRIUMPH-1 highlights the importance of options and the potential for retatrutide to help people across various stages of their obesity journey,” Kenneth Custer, PhD, executive vice president and president, Lilly Cardiometabolic Health, said in a press release. “Together with Zepbound and Foundayo, retatrutide could build on Lilly’s commitment to match treatments to the needs and preferences of patients.” Experts agreed that retatrutide shows promise as a highly effective fir