Photo: EPA
A new once-weekly experimental drug, retatrutide, has delivered striking results in patients with type 2 diabetes, significantly lowering blood sugar levels while helping participants lose substantial amounts of weight.
Unlike existing treatments, retatrutide mimics three gut hormones involved in appetite control, glucose regulation, and energy expenditure. Researchers say this triple-action approach may offer stronger metabolic benefits than current medications.
In a Phase III clinical trial involving 930 adults with type 2 diabetes, patients receiving retatrutide experienced average weight loss of 11.5% to 15.3% over 40 weeks, compared with just 2.6% in the placebo group. The treatment also produced major reductions in HbA1c levels, a key measure of long-term blood sugar control, while improving cholesterol and blood pressure markers.
Most side effects were mild to moderate gastrointestinal issues, though researchers reported a small number of serious adverse events and emphasized that further studies are ongoing.
Experts described the findings as highly encouraging but noted that direct comparisons with widely used drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro will be needed to determine whether retatrutide offers superior benefits.
The drug is being developed by Eli Lilly and has not yet received regulatory approval.
