A new injectable drug should join the arsenal of options with significant effects against obesity and diabetes; Phase 3 studies are underway
The last day of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Congress, June 26, had a surprise in store for attending physicians. The results of a phase 2 study evaluating the impact of a new injectable drug, retatrutida, from the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, on 338 overweight or obese individuals have been released. After a year of treatment, the researchers found an average weight loss of 24.2%. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
“These drugs are changing the paradigm in terms of the percentage of weight eliminated,” says endocrinologist Carlos Eduardo Barra Couri, researcher at the USP Faculty of Medicine in Ribeirão Preto, who accompanied the presentation of the data. He refers to the team formed by semaglutide (or Ozempic) and tirzepatida.
But the retatrutida goes further. According to the doctor, the difference of the new molecule is that it acts on three different hormones: GLP-1, GIP and glucagon. Basically, it means that it increases satiety, decreases hunger and still increases basal metabolic expenditure, i.e. it helps burn calories. That is why the results in weight loss are more expressive than with other remedies acting against obesity.
Another major finding observed in this group was an improvement in fatty liver disease, the popular fat in the liver, which can be the background to several health complications, such as cirrhosis and even cancer. In some cases, the reduction of these rates reached 82%.
But the expert points out that, “although the results are extraordinary, are we talking about phase 2 studies? That is, the number of participants is considered small. “Only in phase 3 will we have more reliable data on safety. In any case, we can say that retatrutide has overcome the first barriers in this regard, ”he comments. So far the most important side effect has been nausea, nothing very different from that recorded with the use of semaglutide.
It should be noted that Phase 3 research is already underway.
Impacts against diabetes
Retatrutide has also been evaluated among patients with type 2 diabetes, and the data so far has been equally encouraging. They have been published in The Lancet. In this case, 281 patients were followed up for 36 weeks. The researchers then noted an average 17 percent weight loss in the participants. “Looking at the graph, we realize that it is a free fall, that it has not reached a plateau. That is, if monitoring continued, perhaps we would see even more expressive weight loss,” describes Couri.
According to the specialist, another important effect of retatrutida, especially for this group, is to stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin, the hormone that helps remove sugar from the circulation and, therefore, control diabetes.
“It’s important to remember that, even among people who don’t lose much weight, these drugs are exceptional against diabetes,” Couri clarifies.
Access remains the big challenge
Even as Phase 3 trials confirm the full potential of retatrutida for the treatment of obesity and diabetes, the USP Ribeirão Preto endocrinologist points out that access will still be a challenge in Brazil. “We are in a country that does not have a cure policy for obesity. In the Sus we talk about diet, exercise and bariatric surgery. Pharmacological cures do not exist there”, he criticizes.
And whoever decides to buy the drug must adjust the family budget. In the case of Ozempic, the doctor says the treatment costs around R$1,000 a month. “This impacts adherence, because it’s a chronic treatment. And the biggest mistake patients make is to use it for a few months and then stop.” According to him, there are studies that indicate that by discontinuing applications, many people go back to the basic situation, throwing away everything they have conquered up to that point.
“There is still a long way to go before Anvisa approves the drug in Brazil. And we can celebrate the preliminary data. But, in my mind, as a pioneering physician, it is essential to look at these drugs from the perspective of access and of the involvement”, evaluates .
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
