Eli Lilly presented results from a mid-stage trial testing combinations of its approved GLP-1 drug Zepbound with eloralintide, an investigational amylin-targeting candidate, in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. After 48 weeks, participants who stayed on the highest-dose combination lost 23.3% of their weight, a figure that exceeded the 14.8% seen with Zepbound alone and the 11.1% seen with the highest dose of eloralintide alone.
The results, presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, were notable because patients with diabetes typically lose less weight on obesity medications than those without the condition. However, the report also highlighted high rates of participants stopping the treatment, which may raise questions about how well patients tolerate the combination.
Lilly is racing to develop next-generation obesity drugs, and this combination is one of several approaches the company is exploring. The mid-stage data offer an early look at potential efficacy, but the tolerability signal will need to be addressed in further studies before the therapy can advance toward regulatory review.