A new combination of weight-loss medications has shown promising results in reducing body weight by nearly a quarter within a year, according to recent research presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting in Milan. The study evaluated the effects of pairing tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro, with a novel drug called eloralintide, both developed by Eli Lilly.
The trial included 367 adults who were overweight or obese and living with type 2 diabetes. Participants were divided into nine groups receiving various dosages of the two drugs in combination, single-agent treatments, or a placebo. Both tirzepatide and eloralintide are GLP-1 receptor agonists, which help slow digestion and regulate blood sugar levels. The combination therapy, referred to as EloraTZP, involved separate injections of both medications.
Results showed that individuals taking eloralintide alone at the highest dose of 9 mg lost an average of 11.1 percent of their body weight over 48 weeks. Those receiving the highest combined doses—9 mg of eloralintide and 15 mg of tirzepatide—experienced an average weight loss of 23.3 percent, equivalent to nearly four stone (approximately 25 kilograms) from a mean starting weight of 105 kg (16.5 stone). Improvements in blood sugar control were observed across all treatment groups, with the greatest benefits seen at the highest doses.
While the medications demonstrated significant efficacy, some participants experienced mild to moderate gastrointestinal side effects, particularly during dose escalation and more frequently among those on the combination therapy.
Dr. Liana Billings, lead author and director of clinical and genetics research in diabetes and cardiometabolic disease at Endeavor Health in Illinois, highlighted the potential of targeting multiple hormonal pathways to address both obesity and type 2 diabetes simultaneously. She emphasized that these findings represent meaningful advances in weight reduction and blood sugar management, which are critical outcomes for patients living with these conditions. Dr. Billings noted the necessity of further research involving larger patient populations before the combination treatment can seek regulatory approval.
The study’s results underscore growing interest in combination therapies as a strategy to enhance the management of complex metabolic diseases by addressing multiple physiological mechanisms concurrently.