This drug may result in weight loss for 3 years in adults without diabetes

The findings also indicate that females and those without obesity-related complications may be more responsive to tirzepatide treatment, said researchers at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain.

The study, led by Dr Luca Busetto from the University of Padova in Italy and colleagues from Eli Lilly and Company that manufacture tirzepatide, is a continuation of the SURMOUNT-1 phase 3 trial of tirzepatide, a medication approved in the EU and USA for obesity and type 2 diabetes treatment.

The trial uncovered no new safety issues; the most common side effects were nausea, diarrhoea and constipation.

"Our long-term analysis of tirzepatide establishes that clinically relevant weight loss can be sustained for up to 3 years in a diverse population of adults with overweight or obesity but not diabetes, regardless of age, BMI, and duration of obesity at the outset of the study", said Busetto.

But not everyone responds to medication to the same degree and we identified a greater chance of successful weight loss in a group with a higher proportion of females and those with no medical conditions linked to obesity, Busetto added.

Tirzepatide works by mimicking the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) hormones that are naturally secreted by the gut after a meal, which stimulates insulin secretion.

It also reduces appetite by slowing down the time it takes the stomach to empty and interacting with areas in the brain harbouring GLP-1 receptors to signal fullness or satiety.

Tirzepatide was approved in November 2023 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Zepbound) and in the EU in June 2024 (Mounjaro) for weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol).

The findings could provide deeper insights into the efficacy of tirzepatide across different demographics and medical histories, potentially allowing for more individualised treatment plans and goals, said the team.