In a crucial trial, Eli Lilly reported on Thursday, May 21, 2026, that its experimental obesity medication helped patients lose more than 28% of their body weight over the course of a year and a half, according to a Reuters report. This enables the company to apply for regulatory approval and possibly introduce the next-generation medication the following year.
In the rapidly expanding obesity treatment market, where Lilly competes with Novo Nordisk, the results were consistent with Wall Street estimates and could make retatrutide the most effective weight-loss medication, reported Reuters.
Analysts had previously voiced concerns regarding the drug's adverse effects after data from prior trials revealed that individuals had developed dysesthesia, an uncommon, unpleasant skin sensation. With fewer patients suffering dysesthesia, the most recent data seemed to allay some of those concerns, the report added.
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Lilly's stock increased 1% during the morning session. By 1330 GMT, Novo shares were down 0.7%.
Over 45% of participants lost at least 30% of their body weight over the course of 80 weeks in the late-stage trial in individuals with obesity but not diabetes who received the maximum dose of 12 milligrams of retatrutide. The business claimed that this level of efficacy rivalled bariatric surgery.
"That's really a threshold that's historically been associated with bariatric surgery," stated Kenneth Custer, president of cardiometabolic health at Eli Lilly, in an interview. "To have that available in a medicine is a pretty big deal."
According to Custer, the corporation plans to introduce the medication the following year.
Novo's Wegovy and Lilly's currently licensed injection, Zepbound, have demonstrated weight loss of approximately 15% to 20% in various trials, while Lilly's oral obesity pill candidate has produced weight loss of approximately 11%.
The safety and other adverse effects of weight-loss medications under research have drawn the attention of investors. Compared to 20.9% of patients on the highest dose in the December study result, 12.5% of patients on the 12 mg dose experienced dysesthesia, an abnormal skin sensation. Adverse effects caused about 11% of individuals on the maximum dose to stop taking it.
"Slightly lower weight loss is countered with improved safety profile," analysts at BMO Capital Markets wrote in a memo. "We view retatrutide's significantly improved discontinuation rate and rates of dysesthesia as a positive that is likely to improve uptake when eventually commercialised."
Custer said that the medication's side effect profile was generally comparable to those of other GLP-1 medications.
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Retatrutide helped patients with obesity and osteoarthritis of the knee lose an average of 28.7% of their weight over 40 weeks and lessen knee discomfort in a prior study that was published in December. According to Lilly, a different study conducted in March revealed that the medication helped patients shed an average of 15.3% of their body weight and lower blood sugar levels.
According to Lilly, individuals in the most recent trial who received treatment for the entire two years dropped an average of slightly more than 30% of their body weight.
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