Eli Lilly's New Drug Prevents Type 2 Diabetes in 94% of Patients, Reveals Shocking Side Effects

On August 20, 2024, Eli Lilly and Company, a global leader in pharmaceuticals, announced promising outcomes from their SURMOUNT-1 study, which spanned 176 weeks. This research focused on the efficacy and safety of weekly injections of tilpotide for long-term weight management and delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes in obese or overweight adults with prediabetes.

The SURMOUNT-1 study demonstrated that tilpotide significantly decreased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 94% compared to a placebo. Additionally, patients receiving tilpotide maintained substantial weight loss throughout the treatment. By the end of the study, those on a 15mg dose of tilpotide had lost an average of 22.9% of their body weight, compared to just 2.1% in the placebo group.

Dr. Jeff Emmick, Eli Lilly's Senior Vice President of Product Development, remarked, "Obesity is a chronic disease that heightens the risk of various complications, including type 2 diabetes, for nearly 900 million adults globally. Tilpotide has shown to significantly reduce this risk and promote sustained weight loss over three years. These findings underscore the potential long-term benefits for patients with obesity and prediabetes."

The SURMOUNT-1 study involved 1,032 randomized obese or overweight adults with prediabetes. The study consisted of a 176-week treatment period followed by a 17-week follow-up after discontinuation, totaling 193 weeks. Preliminary findings at 72 weeks were previously published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2022.

Key secondary endpoints were also evaluated, showing that tilpotide markedly reduced the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes from baseline to week 176. Specifically, the combined dose group achieved a 94% reduction in the risk compared to the placebo at week 176. Another important secondary endpoint revealed significant weight loss in obese or overweight adults with prediabetes treated with tilpotide compared to the placebo group. At week 176, participants in the tilpotide group lost an average of 15.4% (5mg), 19.9% (10mg), and 22.9% (15mg) of their body weight, whereas the placebo group saw only a 2.1% reduction.

During the 17-week follow-up period, patients who discontinued tilpotide began to regain weight and showed a slight increase in the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes, though this risk was still reduced by 88% compared to placebo.

Overall, the safety and tolerability of tilpotide over the 193-week study were consistent with prior findings from the 72-week SURMOUNT-1 study and other long-term weight management studies involving tilpotide. The most frequently reported adverse events were gastrointestinal, mostly mild to moderate, including diarrhea, nausea, constipation, and vomiting.

Tilpotide is a GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist that activates two of the body’s natural incretin receptors. GLP-1 helps regulate appetite and caloric intake, and GIP has been observed in preclinical models to reduce food intake further. By decreasing appetite, tilpotide lowers caloric intake. It also promotes insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner, improving insulin sensitivity and reducing blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The results of the SURMOUNT-1 study underscore that tilpotide can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in obese or overweight adults with prediabetes and help maintain weight loss over an extended period. Comprehensive results are set to be submitted to peer-reviewed journals and presented at ObesityWeek 2024, scheduled for November 3-6.