Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Eli Lilly's diabetes drug Mounjaro and weight loss drug Zepbound, could reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in individuals with prediabetes, overweight, or obesity, according to the trial results.

Eli Lilly tested the safety and efficacy of tirzepatide in long-term weight management and the ability to delay the progression to diabetes in adults with prediabetes, obesity, or overweight in a three-year trial involving 1,032 adults.

Prediabetes is a condition caused by insulin resistance that results in higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, which can progress to diabetes. It is reversible through lifestyle changes such as healthy eating, exercise, and weight loss.

The company announced positive results from the SURMOUNT-1 study, revealing that a once-a-week tirzepatide injection reduced the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes by 94% compared to a placebo. Additionally, adults on the 15 mg dose achieved a sustained average weight loss of 22.9%, compared to 2.1% for the placebo group.

The study results were published in The New England Journal Of Medicine. It will be presented at ObesityWeek 2024.

"Obesity is a chronic disease that puts nearly 900 million adults worldwide at an increased risk of other complications such as type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 94% and resulted in sustained weight loss over the three-year treatment period. These data reinforce the potential clinical benefits of long-term therapy for people living with obesity and pre-diabetes," Dr. Jeff Emmick, Senior Vice President of Product Development at Lilly, said in a news release.

In those participants who used tirzepatide, there were positive changes in cardiometabolic risk factors such as waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting insulin level, and lipid levels.

During the 17-week follow-up, the participants who discontinued tirzepatide started regaining weight and had a slight increase in the progression to type 2 diabetes. However, their risk of developing diabetes was still reduced by 88% compared to the placebo.

"The safety profile of tirzepatide was consistent with previous findings in the SURPASS clinical trials in patients with type 2 diabetes, and similar to other incretin-based therapies for the treatment of obesity," the researchers noted. The most common adverse effects reported from the use of tirzepatide include gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, diarrhea, and constipation.

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