breaking

Eli Lilly's Retatrutide Achieves Significant Weight Loss in Late-Stage Trial

Eli Lilly advanced its next-generation obesity treatment retatrutide toward regulatory approval Thursday after the weekly injection delivered substantial weight reduction across multiple dosing levels in a late-stage trial.

The highest dose produced average weight loss of 28.3 pounds over 80 weeks, compared to 2.2% with placebo. Approximately 45% of 2,500 trial participants achieved 30% or more weight loss.

Retatrutide operates through a different mechanism than existing treatments from Lilly and competitor Novo Nordisk. Extended study data showed patients with a BMI of 35 or above lost 30.3% of body weight on average over 104 weeks. That BMI threshold puts people at higher risk of cardiovascular complications or diabetes.

Gastrointestinal side effects including nausea and diarrhea occurred at higher rates, particularly at maximum doses, though remained consistent with prior trials. Lower dosing showed fewer discontinuations due to adverse events. Lilly executives noted the 30% weight loss result previously appeared only following bariatric surgery.