The new weight loss drug, tirzepatide
There’s a lot of buzz about a weight loss medication expected to go on the market this year. Its manufacturer, Eli Lilly, hasn’t announced the brand name yet, but the medication it contains is called tirzepatide.
Tirzepatide is already in a diabetes drug called Mounjaro. The weight loss drug might contain more tirzepatide than Mounjaro does, to boost its power in helping people shed pounds.
That power is remarkable. O’Neil said tirzepatide worked so well in clinical trials for weight loss that it earned fast-track designation from the Food and Drug Administration. That speeds up the process of getting important new medications to the people who need them.
“In a phase 3 trial, they achieved weight losses as high as 20% of the person’s starting body weight,” O’Neil said. That was 50 to 60 pounds in some cases.
Tirzepatide works by helping the patient feel full on less food and slowing the passage of food through the digestive tract. There’s no question the weight loss it leads to is beneficial for people who are overweight or obese.
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