14 Nov 2024 • Tirzepatide treatment over 3 years resulted in significant weight loss and a marked reduction in the risk of progression to type 2 diabetes in individuals with obesity and prediabetes.

After 176 weeks of tirzepatide treatment, participants with obesity and prediabetes showed substantial weight loss, with mean reductions of 12.3%, 18.7%, and 19.7% in the 5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg tirzepatide groups, respectively, compared to 1.3% in the placebo group.

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes was significantly lower in the tirzepatide groups, with only 1.3% of participants developing diabetes compared to 13.3% in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0.07).

After 17 weeks off treatment, 2.4% of those on tirzepatide developed diabetes, compared to 13.7% of those on placebo (hazard ratio 0.12).

Gastrointestinal side effects were most common during the dose-escalation phase, but were mostly mild to moderate in severity. No new safety signals were identified.

These results highlight tirzepatide's potential to not only promote weight loss but also significantly delay or prevent the progression from prediabetes to full-blown diabetes, offering hope for better management of obesity-related metabolic risks.

Source: The New England Journal of Medicine Read full story