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Ozempic Rival Delivers 25% Weight Loss at Highest Dose in Phase 3 Trial
ScienceAlert • • general
Key Points:
- A phase 3 trial of the experimental drug retatrutide showed participants with obesity lost up to 25 percent of their starting weight after 80 weeks, with extended treatment reaching nearly 30 percent weight loss after two years.
- The study also demonstrated reductions in knee pain among participants with osteoarthritis and decreases in sleep apnea events, indicating benefits beyond weight loss.
- Retatrutide works by activating receptors for three hormones (GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon) to reduce appetite and potentially increase energy expenditure.
- Common side effects included gastrointestinal issues, particularly nausea, leading to treatment discontinuation in about 11 percent of the highest-dose group; serious adverse events were reported but causality was not established.
- The trial was funded by Eli Lilly, did not assess cardiovascular safety, and did not compare retatrutide directly with existing obesity medications.
