Eli Lilly Weight-loss Drugs Cut Long-term Diabetes Risk: Study

Eli Lilly and Company's weight-loss drugs received another boost Tuesday as a study revealed that it can can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes among obese and overweight adults with pre-diabetes by 94%.

According to CNBC, the active ingredient tirzepatide, which is found in Zepbound, the weight loss injection, and Mounjaro, the diabetes drug, was found to have helped patients in experiencing sustained weight loss in a span of a three-year treatment period.

The initial results taken from a long-term study showed a significant difference between Zepbound and the placebo. After 176 weeks, those in the placebo saw a 2.1% decrease in their body weight, while subjects who received the highest weekly dose of the drug saw a 22.9% decrease.

The results of the long-term study suggest that the treatment using Eli Lilly's drugs could delay a possible diagnosis for those who are pre-diabetic. The same goes for those who may have higher than normal blood sugar levels but have not yet been categorized as Type 2 diabetic.

The findings from the study simply showed the long-terms benefits of using GLP-1s, a class of obesity and diabetes medications that mimic the hormones that help in regulating blood sugar and curbing appetite.

Aside from Zepbound and Mounjaro from Eli Lilly, the company's rival Novo Nordisk, also offer similar drugs, and since their popularity is very much obvious, they are now scrambling to discover other clinical uses for the drugs.

"Obesity is a chronic disease that puts nearly 900 million adults worldwide at an increased risk of other complications such as Type 2 diabetes," said the senior vice president of product development at Eli Lilly, Dr. Jeff Emmick, in Fox59's report.

"These data reinforce the potential clinical benefits of long-term therapy for people living with obesity and pre-diabetes," he added.

According to the latest government data, more than one in three Americans deal with pre-diabetes. Health experts say that this condition can still be reversed through lifestyle changes. Those who are overweight or obese however, have higher risks for pre-diabetes.