Eli Lilly’s Experimental Drug Tops Ozempic for Weight Loss in Trial

Eli Lilly’s experimental drug retatrutide produced more than twice the weight loss seen with Ozempic’s highest approved dose in a head-to-head clinical trial, according to newly released study results. The phase 3 TRANSCEND-T2D-2 trial tested once-weekly injections of retatrutide at 9 mg and 12 mg against Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic at 2 mg in more than 1,000 adults with type 2 diabetes over an 80-week period.

People given the highest retatrutide dose lost an average of 47.4 pounds, while those receiving the 9 mg dose lost 44.3 pounds. By comparison, the Ozempic group lost an average of 20.9 pounds. Retatrutide also lowered A1C, an important measure of long-term blood sugar control, by an average of 2.2%, compared with 1.5% for Ozempic.

The study also reported meaningful reductions in waist circumference and improvements in cardiovascular risk markers. Retatrutide further showed promise for obstructive sleep apnea by cutting the number of hypoxic events.

Its most common side effects were mild to moderate gastrointestinal problems, which generally eased as treatment continued. The drug has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any other regulator, and Eli Lilly plans to submit a Biologics License Application to the FDA in early 2027. Federal officials have also cautioned consumers against buying unapproved versions of the drug online.

If it wins approval, retatrutide could be available for chronic weight management, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis as early as late 2027.