study shows new obesity drug may be even more effective than current therapies
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the surmount-5 phase 3b trial monitored patients on both semaglutide and tirzepatide and found that at the end of the trial, tirzepatide led to a 47 per cent greater weight loss than semaglutide.
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weight loss drugs aren’t new, but in recent years, the introduction of semaglutide has changed the game when it comes to treating obesity with medicine as opposed to other methods. now, a new study shows that another drug is on the horizon—and it shows nearly double the efficacy rate of both wegovy and ozempic.
the drug in question, tirzepatide, is a dual gip and glp-1 receptor agonist that works by tweaking certain hormones involved in insulin secretion and improving the body’s ability to use insulin. it can also improve lipid metabolism, reduce appetite, and reduce gastric emptying.
dr. sean wharton, an internal medicine physician specializing in obesity and type 2 diabetes, and assistant professor at the university of toronto, believes that while there are effective drugs on the market, the introduction of tirzepatide can make it even easier for people living with obesity to get what they need to manage their chronic condition.
“it gives a great number of options,” he said, noting that the current options, while viable for many, don’t always work for everybody.
the tirzepatide study
over the course of roughly 72 weeks, eli lilly and company conducted a study on tirzepatide, brand name zepbound, to see how it compared to the semaglutide weight loss drugs.
the surmount-5 phase 3b trial monitored patients on both semaglutide and tirzepatide and found that at the end of the trial, tirzepatide led to a 47 per cent greater weight loss than semaglutide.
regarding how much weight was lost, in the tirzepatide group, people who had obesity lost at least 25 per cent. in contrast, in the semaglutide group, only 16.1 per cent of weight loss was noted, akin to 50.3 pounds and 33.1 pounds, respectively.
the results mark a new era in weight loss drugs coming in on the heels of the semaglutide craze, giving people living with obesity another option that offers more weight loss in the same time frame.
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the drug was also considered as safe as others on the market in the trial.
“the trial gave us more than three years of safety data, and what we know is that during this time frame, the safety was the exact same in the three-year as it was in the one-year,” said dr. wharton.
what this means for obesity and type 2 diabetes patients
semaglutide medications, including wegovy and ozempic, are still as effective and safe as they have always been. however, the introduction of tirzepatide can give patients another route to take if these drugs don’t work as intended.
“it gives a greater number of options because the main molecule that we have now doesn’t work in everybody, so there’s patients who continue to struggle with their obesity, with their cravings, with their hunger,” said dr. wharton. “they’re on the current product and on this new product now, those same people may be able to get a switch over study and may be able to get the relief.”
the drug may also have the potential to act as a treatment or preventative health measure for type 2 diabetes.
“we also know that this medication and the current medications are really great diabetes and prediabetes drugs,” said dr. wharton. “so, in essence, if you have prediabetes or family risk of type 2 diabetes and you don’t want diabetes and you take these medications, you will not get diabetes.”
the promising drug now has to go through the process of being approved for use by canadians by health canada. for now, patients will have to wait for that access, and according to dr. wharton, that could be far off, considering the ones that are available are still hard to access due to cost.
“it’s all dependant on government involvement, patient advocacy,” he said. “without the advocacy to try and get access to care, i think this will remain in the hands of the rich.”
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dr. wharton notes that people will “have to let their voices be heard” so that the government can move forward with new drugs like tirzepatide, make them affordable for canadians, and improve the lives of people living with obesity across the country.
obesity in canada
the number of canadians living with obesity has risen significantly in the last two decades, and those numbers are expected to continue growing. according to statistics canada, roughly one in five people were living with obesity in 2003. in 2022, that number was closer to one in three.
the understanding of the chronic disease has improved as more study has gone into it, but medical professionals still haven’t cracked the code in regard to why it develops and why it’s so challenging to address.
“there’s a lot of research and science behind it and genes, what turns these genes on, and how it all happened, but we don’t really know (why),” said dr. wharton. “we don’t really have all the understanding of why some people have obesity, and others don’t, right?”
dr. wharton goes on to note that while they know much more than ever, “we’re also humbled by the fact that we don’t truly understand the multiple levels that really result in elevated weight versus someone who has a lower weight.”
without an adequate understanding of the disease, it’s challenging to create new medical interventions. however, as research continues to progress, the development of new drugs to treat obesity will progress as well.
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