Eli Lilly said investigational retatrutide produced more than twice the weight loss achieved with the highest approved dose of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic. Lilly released preliminary results from the head-to-head Phase 3 TRANSCEND-T2D-2 trial on Wednesday. Lilly said retatrutide achieved the primary objective and every key secondary objective at 80 weeks.
The open-label trial followed 1,298 adults with type 2 diabetes for 80 weeks and compared retatrutide with Ozempic 2 mg. Participants had inadequate blood sugar control while taking metformin, either alone or alongside an SGLT2 inhibitor. Lilly describes retatrutide as a weekly treatment combining activation of GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon receptors within a single molecule.
Participants began the trial with an average weight of 225.8 pounds. Participants receiving retatrutide 9 mg lost an average of 44.3 pounds (19.5%). Participants receiving retatrutide 12 mg lost an average of 47.4 pounds (20.9%). Participants receiving Ozempic lost an average of 20.9 pounds (9.4%). A1C, which measures blood sugar control, declined by an average of 2.2% with either retatrutide dose, versus 1.8% with Ozempic, from an average baseline of 8.3%.
Diarrhea affected 28.3% of participants receiving retatrutide 9 mg and 32.7% receiving 12 mg, compared with 26.4% receiving Ozempic. Side effects led 4.8% of participants receiving retatrutide 9 mg and 7.9% receiving 12 mg to discontinue treatment, versus 2.7% receiving Ozempic. Lilly said most side effects had mild or moderate severity and generally subsided while treatment continued. Lilly noted that neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor any other regulatory organization worldwide has approved retatrutide.
Kenneth Custer, executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health, said the Phase 3 results support a potentially transformative treatment role if retatrutide receives approval. Custer said that potential extends to people with type 2 diabetes, obesity and associated cardiometabolic conditions. In July, Lilly said the TRIUMPH-2 trial achieved the primary objective in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity or excess weight. Lilly said participants receiving 12 mg in that trial lost an average of 49.6 pounds over 80 weeks. Lilly said at the time that the company was aiming to submit retatrutide to U.S. regulators in the first quarter of 2027.
Eli Lilly shares fell 0.82% to $1,271.45 during Wednesday's premarket trading. Novo Nordisk shares declined 1.27% to $38.18 during the same session.
Eli Lilly's Retatrutide Shows Over Double Ozempic's Weight Loss in Late-Stage Trial
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Summary
Eli Lilly's retatrutide showed over double Ozempic's weight loss in a late-stage trial, with 9 mg and 12 mg doses leading to 44.3 and 47.4-pound drops, versus 20.9 pounds for Ozempic. The trial included 1,298 adults with type 2 diabetes and showed improved blood sugar control. Retatrutide, a weekly triple-receptor activator, had mild to moderate side effects. Investors tracking the fear and greed index may see this as a potential shift in market sentiment. As altcoins to watch remain in focus, developments in pharma could influence broader market trends. Regulatory approval is still pending for the drug.
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