Lilly raises diabetes weight-loss bar with amylin-Zepbound combo

Key Points:

• Eli Lilly's combination treatment eloraTZP, consisting of amylin receptor agonist eloralintide and GIP/GLP-1 drug Zepbound (tirzepatide), achieved an average weight loss of 23.3% in patients with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes, surpassing their triple-G candidate retatrutide in this population.
• At the highest dose, eloraTZP induced an average weight loss of 54.1 pounds at 48 weeks, along with A1C-lowering benefits, leading Lilly to plan phase 3 trials starting in late 2026.
• The combination targets three hormones—GIP, GLP-1, and amylin—that regulate metabolism, appetite, and blood sugar, with amylin gaining attention as an obesity drug target due to its effects on digestion and satiety.
• Safety concerns arose as adverse gastrointestinal events were more frequent in the combination group, with up to 27% discontinuing treatment; analysts suggest that optimized dosing schedules in phase 3 could improve tolerability and adherence.
• Lilly's findings come amid broader metabolic drug developments, including Zealand Pharma’s amylin analog petrelintide showing more modest weight loss results, highlighting eloraTZP’s promising efficacy in the obesity and type 2 diabetes treatment landscape.