The anti-obesity medication tirzepatide remained effective for weight loss in patients with multiple obesity-related medical conditions, according to research presented at ENDO 2024, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Boston, Mass.

The study challenged the widely held belief that patients with multiple medical problems associated with obesity may not achieve the same level of weight loss as those without such issues. "Overall, tirzepatide treatment resulted in significant weight loss, regardless of the number of obesity-related complications patients had at the outset of the study," stated lead researcher Sriram Machineni, M.D. 

The researchers analyzed data from 4 trials involving a total of 4,726 participants, with obesity (BMI > 30) or overweight (BMI ≥ 27) and at least one weight-related condition. A subset of 938 participants from one trial had type 2 diabetes (T2D). The study compared the weight loss achieved by patients treated with tirzepatide to those who received a placebo, categorizing the results based on the number of obesity-related conditions (none, one, or two or more) each patient had. 

Tirzepatide, a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist, was approved by the FDA in November 2023 under the trade name Zepbound for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, T2D, or high cholesterol. The medication had previously been approved under the trade name Mounjaro for the treatment of T2D. 

The study found participants who were older or had experienced obesity for a longer duration had a greater number of obesity-related comorbidities. However, patients treated with tirzepatide consistently demonstrated greater reductions in body weight compared to those who received a placebo, irrespective of the presence of other obesity-related conditions. 

The study was funded by Eli Lilly Inc.