Retatrutide in phase III: participants lost over twice the weight of those on top-dose Ozempic

Results of a phase III trial, reported by portal.abczdrowie.pl, show that participants taking the investigational agent retatrutide lost more than twice as much body weight as participants treated with the highest approved dose of Ozempic portal.abczdrowie.plportal.abczdrowie.plportal.abczdrowie.plOpen source ↗. More and more obesity drugs are available on the market, and researchers are working on further candidates that may prove even more effective. Retatrutide is one of them.

Three receptors instead of one

According to Dr Nneoma Oparaji, an internal medicine and obesity specialist from Houston, Texas, quoted by parade.com, retatrutide differs from current GLP-1 drugs because it acts on three hormone receptors: glucagon, GIP and GLP-1. For comparison, tirzepatide acts on two receptors, GIP and GLP-1, while semaglutide acts on only one, GLP-1.

The agent not only reduces the feeling of hunger but may also increase the body's energy expenditure. This means its effect is not limited to reducing the amount of food eaten. Dr Mert Erogul of Maimonides Medical Center says that the combination of these mechanisms may explain the promising results of the studies.

Possible uses and limits

Researchers are also checking whether retatrutide can benefit people with conditions related to obesity portal.abczdrowie.plportal.abczdrowie.plportal.abczdrowie.plOpen source ↗. Among the potential uses named are obstructive sleep apnea and chronic back pain. Oparaji explains that one mechanism by which retatrutide could ease back pain is a reduction of excess body weight, and with it a lower mechanical load on the spine and the surrounding muscles.

Retatrutide remains an experimental agent and has not yet been approved for marketing. Studies to determine its efficacy and safety are ongoing. Specialists note that even very good results in weight loss do not settle the question of the long-term safety of the therapy.