Eli Lilly Announces Tirzepatide Reduces Risk of Progression to Type 2 Diabetes by 94% in Pivotal SURMOUNT-1 Trial

▎Armstrong

On November 13, 2024, Eli Lilly and Company announced the latest follow-up data from the Phase III clinical trial SURMOUNT-1 of tirzepatide for the treatment of prediabetes in individuals with obesity or overweight. The follow-up period lasted up to 3 years (176 weeks), and the data was simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

After 176 weeks of treatment, the proportions of patients progressing to type 2 diabetes in the tirzepatide group and the placebo control group were 1.2% and 12.6%, respectively, representing a 94% reduction in the risk of progression to type 2 diabetes. After discontinuation of treatment for 17 weeks, the proportions progressing to type 2 diabetes were 2.4% and 13.7%, respectively, with an 88% reduction in the risk of progression to type 2 diabetes. Following discontinuation, the proportion of patients progressing to type 2 diabetes increased more rapidly, indicating that the disease progression was delayed but may not have been fundamentally reversed. Nevertheless, delaying the progression to type 2 diabetes remains highly significant.

In terms of weight loss, the placebo group, 5mg, 10mg, and 15mg tirzepatide treatment groups achieved weight reductions of 1.3%, 12.3%, 18.7%, and 19.7%, respectively.

Summary

GLP-1 has made breakthroughs in multiple indications, including blood sugar reduction, weight loss, sleep apnea, heart failure, CKD, and cardiovascular protection. The updated data from SURMOUNT-1 confirms that GLP-1 can not only continue to advance to the frontlines in diabetes treatment but also move further upstream to the early stages of diabetes to prevent progression to diabetes.