Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 7
Retatrutide Cuts HbA1c by 1.9 Points and Weight by 15.3% in Phase 3 Diabetes Trial
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 7

Retatrutide Cuts HbA1c by 1.9 Points and Weight by 15.3% in Phase 3 Diabetes Trial

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 7

Summary

  • Phase 3 data in 930 adults with type 2 diabetes showed weekly retatrutide lowered HbA1c by 1.7-1.9 percentage points over 40 weeks, versus 0.8 with placebo.
  • Weight loss reached 11.5%-15.3% on retatrutide, compared with 2.6% on placebo, while cholesterol and blood pressure also improved.
  • The once-weekly drug targets GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors, adding an energy-expenditure pathway beyond GLP-1-only drugs such as Ozempic and dual-action Mounjaro.
  • Serious adverse events were reported in 14 participants, including two on placebo, though most side effects were mild to moderate gastrointestinal symptoms that eased over time.
  • Researchers and outside experts called the results encouraging but said head-to-head trials and longer-term data are still needed to judge how retatrutide compares with existing diabetes treatments.

Insights

Retatrutide shows no weight loss plateau. Have we finally found a way to medically override the body's set point?
What are the hidden risks of manipulating three core metabolic hormones for long-term weight management?
As miracle weight-loss drugs arrive, are we creating a new class of health inequality?