Conducted as part of the SURMOUNT-1 phase 3 clinical trial, this research demonstrates a notable reduction in body weight and the risk of progression to type 2 diabetes. These data, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at ObesityWeek 2024, establish tirzepatide as a durable and safe therapeutic solution.
Significant weight loss and diabetes prevention
The study involved 1,032 obese or overweight participants who also had prediabetes. Participants were randomly assigned to receive weekly doses of 5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg of tirzepatide, or placebo, for 176 weeks, followed by 17 weeks without treatment.
The results show dose-dependent weight losses: −12.3% for the 5 mg dose, −18.7% for 10 mg, and −19.7% for 15 mg, compared to only −1.3% for the placebo. At the same time, the progression to type 2 diabetes was greatly reduced. At 176 weeks, 1.3% of participants treated with tirzepatide developed diabetes, compared to 13.3% in the placebo group. This trend was confirmed even after stopping treatment, with a progression rate of 2.4% compared to 13.7%.
Safety and tolerance validated over three years
In addition to its effectiveness, tirzepatide showed a good safety profile. The most frequent adverse effects, mainly gastrointestinal (nausea, diarrhea, constipation), were generally mild to moderate and mainly occurred when the initial dose was increased. No new safety signals were observed during the study, thus supporting the long-term tolerance of the treatment.
These results position tirzepatide as a major advance for people who are overweight or prediabetic, by allowing a significant and lasting reduction in body weight and the risk of type 2 diabetes. In addition to a suitable diet and regular physical activity , this treatment could play a key role in a global strategy for the prevention and management of diabetes.
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2410819
