Eli Lilly's weight-loss drug cuts diabetes risk by 94% in trial

[August 20, 2024]  (Reuters) -Eli Lilly said on Tuesday its weight loss drug cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 94% in patients with pre-diabetes and those who were obese or overweight in a long-term study.

The drugmaker disclosed the data from a three-year follow-up of a late-stage trial called "SUMROUNT-1", the results of which were initially published in 2022.

Both Eli Lilly and rival Novo Nordisk have been pushing to extend the use of their obesity drugs to related conditions such as sleep apnea and heart conditions.

Treatment with tirzepatide, the chemical name for Lilly's obesity drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro, resulted in an average weight reduction of 22.9%, compared to just 2.1% for the placebo, the company said.

"These data reinforce the potential clinical benefits of long-term therapy for people living with obesity and pre-diabetes," Lilly's senior vice president of product development, Jeff Emmick, said in a statement.

Eli Lilly logo is shown on one of the company's offices in San Diego, California, U.S., September 17, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

The company said the safety profile of the drugs was consistent with previously published data.

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Tasim Zahid)

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