Lilly's Next-Gen Obesity Drug Retatrutide Shows Significant Weight Loss but Notable Side Effects in Phase 3 Trial

According to the Zhitong Finance APP, several patients participating in the Phase III trial of Eli Lilly and Company's (LLY.US) new generation weight loss drug Retatrutide stated that while they observed a significant decrease in body weight, the drug also caused noticeable side effects.

Several trial participants who wished to remain anonymous reported side effects including nausea and kidney stones. Another participant mentioned significant weight loss, with doctors advising them to consume more high-calorie foods. However, due to the trial being randomized and placebo-controlled, participants were unaware whether they were receiving Retatrutide or a placebo.

Reportedly, the weight loss of the three participants was as follows: a 22% reduction in weight over 9 months, a 30% reduction over 8 months, and a 31% reduction over 8 to 9 months. In addition to weight loss, patients also noticed other positive effects during the trial, including improvements in knee pain, high cholesterol, and fatty liver disease.

Eli Lilly's GLP-1/GIP/GCG triple agonist Retatrutide, which is currently under development, is considered the next-generation product to replace Tirzepatide. Trial data shows that compared to Tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Eli Lilly's blockbuster weight-loss drug Zepbound), Retatrutide’s Phase 2 data is even more impressive — in Phase 2 clinical trials, the average weight loss from baseline (initial body weight) was 17.5% at 24 weeks and 24.2% at 48 weeks.