Researchers have released promising results from a late-stage clinical trial of retatrutide, a new triple-hormone obesity drug. This medication simulates the effects of GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon, and is anticipated to be the most effective obesity treatment to date.

Key Findings

  • Weight Loss: Patients receiving the highest dose of retatrutide lost an average of 25% of their body weight after 80 weeks. After an extension period of 104 weeks, this average increased to 30%.
  • Significant Results: Over a third of participants lost 30% or more of their weight. The drug also significantly reduced knee pain (by up to 62%) in participants with obesity-linked knee osteoarthritis and decreased sleep apnea events per hour (by up to 57%) in those with obesity-linked obstructive sleep apnea.
  • Cardiometabolic Improvements: Participants showed improvements in various cardiometabolic measurements, including blood pressure, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (bad cholesterol). Notably, over 90% of participants with prediabetes saw their condition resolve by the end of the trial.

Trial Details

The trial, which began in 2023, involved 2,339 participants across 131 clinical trial sites in 11 countries. Participants were divided into four groups, receiving either 4 mg, 9 mg, 12 mg of retatrutide, or a placebo. The average starting weight of participants was around 113 kg (approximately 250 pounds), with an average body mass index (BMI) of 40.