Amid the growing demand for GLP-1 medications for weight loss, a new experimental drug, retatrutide, stands out, according to new clinical trial results released on Thursday.
The drug led to an average weight loss of 70.3 pounds over 80 weeks in patients with obesity, with 45% of patients on 12 mg of the once-weekly injectable retatrutide losing up to 30% of their body weight, the drugmaker, Eli Lilly and Company, said in a news release.
Those results are comparable to what is seen with bariatric surgery, according to Eli Lilly, which also makes the weight loss drug Zepbound.
Unlike current blockbuster medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound, retatrutide targets three hormone receptors — GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon — earning it the nickname of a “triple agonist” drug.
Researchers believe the glucagon-targeting effect may help the body burn additional energy while also reducing appetite and improving blood sugar control.
For comparison, a major clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine found adults taking semaglutide — the active ingredient in Wegovy — lost an average of 14.9% of their body weight over 68 weeks.
Meanwhile, a separate clinical trial, also published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found participants taking tirzepatide — the active ingredient in Zepbound — lost up to 22.5% of their body weight over 72 weeks.
The new data from Eli Lilly comes as prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs among U.S. adults more than quadrupled since 2021, according to data from Epic Research.
Retatrutide remains experimental and has not yet been approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration.
The company expects to potentially seek FDA approval sometime in late 2027 or early 2028.