Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Eli Lilly's Type 2 diabetes drug, helped obese and overweight adults lose an average of 64 pounds after 84 weeks in a phase 3 trial.
The study involved more than 800 patients who have weight-related comorbidities not related to Type 2 diabetes. For 12 weeks, the participants engaged in an "intensive lifestyle intervention" that included a low-calorie diet, exercise and frequent counseling sessions, Eli Lilly said in an Oct. 15 news release.
About 580 people lost at least 5% of their weight after the 12 weeks, and among that cohort, they were split between taking Mounjaro or a placebo. After 84 weeks, participants who took Mounjaro lost, on average, 26.6% of their weight — equal to 64.4 pounds each. The placebo group achieved a 3.8% weight loss, or nine pounds. Eli Lilly said the results show Mounjaro's "superiority" over a placebo.
The most common side effects were "gastrointestinal-related and generally mild to moderate in severity," the drugmaker said.
The therapy is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, which is the same medication class as two popular Novo Nordisk medications: Type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic and weight loss therapy Wegovy.
The FDA and European Medicines Agency are currently evaluating whether to approve Mounjaro as a weight loss drug.