“Godzilla” of weight-loss drugs could provide other important health benefits
Though not yet approved by any regulatory agency, retatrutide could help improve blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation
TL;DR
- Retatrutide, a new drug candidate, shows potential for substantial weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and reduced inflammation.
- It mimics three gut hormones: GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon, engaging appetite, metabolism, and energy expenditure.
- In an 80-week trial with adults who have obesity and type 2 diabetes, the 12 mg dose resulted in an average body weight reduction of 18.8%, with nearly half losing at least 20% of their weight.
- The drug also improved HbA1c levels, blood pressure, lipid profiles, and reduced a marker for inflammation.
- Common side effects included diarrhea and nausea, similar to other drugs in its class.
- Seven deaths occurred across the trial groups, deemed unrelated to the study intervention by investigators.
- Separate research presented at the same conference suggested that weight-loss drugs are generally not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with type 2 diabetes, but more research is needed.