Unveiling Weight Regain Trends in Eli Lilly’s Zepbound Study

Patients taking Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug Zepbound faced a substantial weight regain, recovering nearly half the lost weight within a year of discontinuing the treatment, as revealed in the latest data published earlier this week. The comprehensive results stem from an 88-week study funded by Eli Lilly, indicating the necessity for an ongoing weekly injection to sustain significant weight loss.

Following the data release in the research journal JAMA, Eli Lilly’s stock experienced a decline of more than 2% at the beginning of this week alone. The study, conducted by a combination of Eli Lilly employees and external researchers, initially unveiled results in July, prompting a market response.

In the Eli Lilly study, 670 obese patients without diabetes achieved an average weight loss of around 20% of their body weight after 36 weeks of Zepbound treatment. Fifty percent of these patients maintained the drug regimen for an additional 52 weeks, whereas the remaining half switched to a placebo for the following year.

Zepbound, Novo Nordisk’s weight loss injection Wegovy, and their widely-used diabetes counterparts have witnessed soaring popularity due to their efficacy in promoting substantial weight loss without resorting to surgery. Certain financial analysts anticipate that Zepbound, which employs the identical active ingredient as Eli Lilly’s diabetes medication Mounjaro, has the potential to emerge as the highest-selling drug in history.

The issue of weight regain upon discontinuation extends beyond Zepbound, as individuals ceasing Wegovy and Novo Nordisk’s diabetes medication Ozempic have also experienced a return of lost weight. This trend raises concerns among U.S. health insurers regarding the considerable costs associated with long-term coverage of these expensive drugs.

For those who persisted with Zepbound, an extra 6.7% weight loss was observed on average from weeks 36 to 88. Conversely, individuals who discontinued the drug experienced a weight regain of 14.8%. Nevertheless, those who stopped Zepbound concluded the 88-week study with 9.9% less weight than their starting point, indicating a recovery of only approximately half the initially lost weight.

Dr. Louis Aronne, the lead study author and an obesity medicine specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine, highlighted the significance of the findings, stating that individuals who discontinue Zepbound regain approximately half of the lost weight over one year.

The study revealed that 17% of those who discontinued Zepbound managed to maintain at least 80% of their initial weight loss. In contrast, 9 out of 10 individuals who continued the treatment were successful in maintaining at least 80% of their weight loss.

Throughout the entire 88-week study, healthcare professionals advised all patients to reduce their daily calorie intake by approximately 500 calories and engage in at least 150 minutes of weekly exercise. Dr. Jeff Emmick, Senior Vice President of Product Development at Eli Lilly, emphasized that the study highlights the importance of continued therapy to sustain weight loss achieved by patients with obesity.

The market reaction to the study was evident, with Eli Lilly’s stock dropping over 4% in morning trading, signaling the potential impact on the pharmaceutical company’s standing in the weight loss drug market.

The post Unveiling Weight Regain Trends in Eli Lilly’s Zepbound Study appeared first on LifeSci Voice.