A New Drug Achieves Successful Results in Preventing Diabetes

Especially for Obese People

The results of a new study showed that tirzepatide, a new injectable weight loss drug with the trade name "Zipound", succeeded in reducing the risk of diabetes in patients suffering from obesity and pre-diabetes by more than 90% over 3 years, compared to a placebo.

The study was conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College, Yale University and other institutions, and was a continuation of one of the first trials of tirzepatide sponsored by Eli Lilly, which lasted 72 weeks.

Diabetes Treatment

According to "News Medical", the new results showed that after 176 weeks of treatment, diabetes developed in only 1.3% of patients suffering from obesity and pre-diabetes who took the drug, compared to 13.3% of patients who took the placebo.

“These results show that type 2 diabetes can be prevented, even in those who are on the verge of developing it, with a drug that causes weight loss,” said Dr. Louis Aronne of Weill Cornell Medical College. Tirzepatide belongs to a new broad class of drugs that mimic nutrient-stimulating hormones, helping patients lose significant weight and improve blood sugar control. It differs from Ozempic in how it works in the body.

Promoting satiety

The overall effect of the drug is to promote a feeling of fullness or “satiety,” which reduces the desire to eat and increases insulin secretion, which reduces blood glucose levels.

In its first phase (72 weeks), the trial found that obese people taking tirzepatide lost between 15% and 22.5% of their initial weight and experienced a significant average reduction in their HbA1c levels.

Normal HbA1c levels

In its second phase (after 176 weeks), only 10 patients treated with tirzepatide developed diabetes, representing a nearly 93% reduction in risk compared with the placebo group.

More than Ninety percent of those taking tirzepatide had normal HbA1c levels, compared with 59 percent of patients taking a placebo.

The trial did not reveal any new safety issues; the most common gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, decreased as the trial went on, suggesting that long-term use of tirzepatide is relatively tolerable.

When to stop treatment

A follow-up analysis, 17 weeks after stopping treatment, found modest gains in weight and HbA1c levels, returning some patients to prediabetes and diabetes ranges and underscoring the potential need for chronic treatment.

The findings suggest the drug could one day become the first approved treatment for prediabetes, Dr. Aron said.